Staffing & Culture | 09.23.26
Retention Lessons From the C-Suite
by: BISA Staff
Retaining high-performing team members is an important piece of any financial institution’s strategy. Portfolio asked BISA members in leadership to share their examples of retaining top talent over the course of their careers as institution leaders.
High-performing employees are typically motivated by two core drivers: the chance to prove their impact and the ability to continuously develop. They expect real ownership over decisions, along with a culture of transparency where candid feedback flows in both directions.
I’ve found that when organizations consistently deliver on both — empowerment and open dialogue — they create trust. And trust is what ultimately sustains engagement, loyalty and long-term performance.
I recently identified a high-potential employee who had just taken on his first management role and was already driving positive change. When a critical leadership gap emerged, I gave him a stretch assignment on my team. His impact was immediate and ultimately transformational — for the team and for his own growth. He’s now ready for his next step forward.
—Michael Miroballi, President, Huntington Investment Company, Huntington Financial Advisors
In my experience, high-performing employees rarely leave because of compensation. They leave when growth stalls, trust erodes or they no longer see a future version of themselves within the organization. One of the most effective retention strategies we have implemented has been creating a culture where development is intentional, transparency is valued and employees are given meaningful ownership before they feel fully ‘ready.’ The strongest leaders I’ve worked with understand that retention is not a Human Resources initiative but a leadership discipline. Culture is shaped less by company celebrations and events and more through honest conversations, coaching, accountability and helping people connect their work to a larger mission and purpose.
As our program scaled significantly over the years, we found some of our strongest retention outcomes coincided directly with seasons where leaders invested heavily in mentorship, visibility and internal growth opportunities. High-capacity people want to be challenged, trusted and developed. They want to know their contributions matter.
Personally, the single biggest factor that has kept me loyal to an organization throughout my career has been alignment between values and opportunity. I have stayed where I felt trusted to build, innovate, lead authentically and make a measurable impact while continuing to grow both professionally and personally.
—Julie R. Bates, AIF®, CFP®, CAP®, Managing Director, Delta Community Retirement & Investment Services
Our people are our most important asset, and at Allegacy, our retention reflects that belief. We’ve built a culture where employees feel empowered to succeed, resulting in a remarkably stable leadership bench — our average tenure exceeds seven years, well above the national average. Three principles anchor this success. First, we practice radical transparency by sharing openly, listening closely and acting when something isn’t working, as demonstrated by recent benefits enhancements made directly in response to employee feedback. Second, we lead with love, ensuring every team member knows they matter and focusing on helping them do their best work rather than defining them by their hardest day. Finally, we invest intentionally in growth, from AI training and leadership development through a local university partnership to thoughtful onboarding that helps leaders learn the organization, build relationships and integrate into the community. When people feel valued and supported, commitment follows.
—Megan Bartlett, Chief People Officer, Allegacy Federal Credit Union
‘I’m looking for a supportive management style that will help me grow and achieve my goals,’ an advisor shared during my dissertation research on financial advisor motivation — a sentiment I have intentionally addressed throughout my leadership career. Over the past 30+ years, I have kept employees engaged by focusing on their development as individuals, not just their production results. I prioritize regular one-on-one coaching, aligning each advisor’s personal goals with their business strategy while giving them the autonomy to run their practice, and provide clear guidance and resources without micromanaging to reinforce trust and ownership.
This experience reflects the balance many professionals seek today: independence paired with authentic leadership, trust and meaningful coaching. It also serves as a practical example of the servant leadership model, which emphasizes emotional intelligence, purpose, individuality and coaching as drivers of engagement and retention. Through both my research and decades of experience leading and coaching sales teams, I have found that leaders who genuinely invest in employees’ personal and professional growth create stronger workplace cultures with deeper engagement and sustainable retention.
—Lisa Stavsky, President & CEO, WesBanco Securities, Inc.