Byron Pierce leads a team of four commercial loan officers at Commerce Bank, where he is senior vice president and team leader. But 10 years ago, he was in a very different line of work as a pitcher for the Springfield-Ozark Mountain Ducks, the minor-league team that played at Ozark’s Price Cutter Park 1999–2004.
Following a brief stint in telecommunications sales, Pierce joined Commerce Bank in 2001 as a credit analyst, climbing the ranks to his current role.
“All individual loan officers were able to reach their production goals in 2009, which ended up being the most difficult year to do so because of the economy,” Pierce says.
He is proud of his role helping small businesses, which helped him achieve his proudest accomplishment to date: receiving Commerce Bank’s Mission Accomplished Award, which recognizes exemplary leadership and hard work.
In Pierce’s case, that work was aimed at pairing business customers with financing.
“With my expertise, several small businesses in the Springfield area were able to grow their business, and in turn, help the local Springfield economy,” he says.
When it comes to influencing others, Pierce says attitude is the single biggest factor, and he strives to always bring a positive attitude and willingness to get things done to the table.
“I remind my employees that it isn’t always what you get done; it is also how you get it done,” he says. “Results are important, but building working relationships with each other is also important for future opportunities.”
Pierce also gives his time to impact the lives of others outside his workplace through active roles with several nonprofit and civic groups.
He’s on the Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors and is a member of the group’s finance committee.
“This committee is in charge of structuring funding to build houses, including loans for infrastructure of neighborhoods. We also work closely with the current homeowners who may be struggling to make payments.”
Pierce also has an active role with the Nixa School District’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan, working on its finance committee, aimed at developing strategies to help fund the district’s future.
“We developed the ‘B Vocal, Shop Local’ campaign that will show residents how spending their dollars locally helps fund school programs,” he says.[[In-content Ad]]
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