Alumni Spotlight: Lori Meads’ Online MBA and Promotion to CEO
In 1992, Lori Meads began working as a teller at Seamen’s Bank. She transitioned into a role as a customer service representative and from there was promoted to Assistant to the President.
She continued to move up in the ranks, becoming the Vice President of Marketing and Administration. In 2016, she was named Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Finally, in 2017, Meads was promoted to the highest role of all: Chief Executive Officer.
As CEO, Meads is responsible for the overall operations of the bank. A member of the senior management team, she functions as a liaison between the team and the Board to facilitate the overall goals and strategic objectives of the bank.
And CEO isn’t Mead’s only role at the bank, either. She also serves as the executive director of Seamen’s Long Point Charitable Foundation, meeting regularly with the Board to address each request and assess how it will affect the community and align with the organization’s purpose. In this role, in addition to looking at all requests received, she also oversees the foundation’s reporting.
Meads’ career is impressive, but she couldn’t have gotten there without enrolling in an online MBA program.
Moving on Up, With Help from an Online MBA
Meads earned her Master of Business Administration online from New England College of Business in 2017, a move that enabled her to be promoted to her new position.
“That was the next logical step to further my career,” she says. “It furthered my professional development…and helped in my networking as well, because I now have more diverse contacts with others in my industry.”
Meads benefited from Seamen’s Bank’s corporate partnership with NECB, selecting the college because of its relationship with her employer and its understanding of the banking industry.
“I enjoyed the diverse group of people from around the country and the world, and the professor interaction was very helpful in my journey to my MBA,” she says.
Life Outside the Bank
Meads’ work doesn’t stop when she leaves the office. She is active on a number of community boards, each of which she believes serves an important purpose by representing a specific cause that is needed in her community. One board she sits on focuses on promoting arts and culture, while another addresses families looking for quality childcare and education. Yet another looks at ways to create healthy, sustainable farm-to-table initiatives within the schools and communities they serve.
“I think that being connected with diverse organizations in the communities we serve gives me a more educated and connected feeling with so many people,” Meads explains.
In 2016, Banker & Tradesmen named Meads a Community Bank Hero.
“This was something that one of the organizations I sit on nominated me for without my knowing, so it was quite a surprise,” she says. “I was extremely honored to be one of the 12 named for 2016 of all the community banks in the region.”
A Look Back
For those considering applying to an online MBA program at NECB, Meads recommends taking the plunge.
“I know it is daunting thinking about a two-year commitment to education, and I wish I had done this earlier in my career,” Meads says. “The MBA program is excellent and will give you all the tools to help you further your career and not break the budget.”
Meads says her investment at NECB was time and money well-spent:
“The experience is one that I will value in all stages of my life and career, and I have made lifelong friendships and professional connections that I would not have had otherwise.”