Throughout her 25-year career thus far, Jessica Brown has focused on being results-oriented while using servant leadership to guide others in the organization to their highest potential. In 2022, Peoples State Bank brought Brown in as the chief financial officer with the idea of “bringing the bank to the next level of financial sophistication.”
Brown has an extensive background as a leader and driver of change, including experience in complex accounting issues, operations and IT, corporate finance and treasury, examination and audit, acquisition and integration, system integrations, compliance and fraud management, investor relations, vendor negotiations, human resources/payroll, process improvement, team building, marketing, change management, staff recruitment, and retention/incentives.
At Peoples State Bank, Brown is responsible for managing the capital funding and profitability of the bank and cultivating investor relations. She also oversees the marketing department.
Under Brown’s leadership, even in this challenging environment, her team was able to grow the bank’s total assets by 14% over a 2-year period while leading the bank to record-setting profits. She also led her team to develop revenue growth and pricing strategies that capitalized on value pricing and a more precise monitoring of its progress. In addition, Brown led a $12 million capital raise of preferred stock and subordinated debt to assist in the liquidity of the bank, orchestrated a 5% stock buyback plan, and created an employee stock purchase plan.
As a result, the bank was named to the top 200 community banks list for 14 consecutive years and based on a 3-year average return on equity, was voted best bank to work for by its staff for the past 5 years.
“Unequivocally, I am working with the best team of professionals I ever have in my career, and every day, their high level of achievement pushes me to do and be better,” said Brown. “My passion comes from a desire to WIN. I believe that collectively, this team can WIN together.”
Brown currently serves as a board member, executive committee member and treasurer of LEAVEN. She also serves on the finance committee of the Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity and as an audit committee member of the Women’s Fund. Jessica has served on countless not-for-profit boards over the last two decades and truly loves giving of her time and talent to a wide range of worthy organizations, her staff said.
“She is preeminent in her profession in the banking industry,” said her staff. “Staff, leaders, directors, and community members know Brown and that she stands for honest reporting, fair treatment and fellow empowerment.”