Ozarks Profile: Kelly Polonus

Great Southern, a public company listed on NASDAQ (GSBC), offers a broad range of banking, investment, insurance and travel services to customers and clients. Based in Springfield, Great Southern has assets of more than $2 billion and operates 35 banking centers and more than 150 automated teller machines throughout southwest and central Missouri. The company also serves lending needs through loan production offices in Overland Park, Kan., Rogers, Ark., and St. Louis.

What, specifically, is your job?

Corporate communications is responsible for internal and external communications for Great Southern, which includes fully supporting the company’s mission of building relationships with our customers, associates, shareholders and communities.

How did you end up in your present position?

I have worked in the financial services industry for more than 20 years and for 15 years of that time I’ve been in banking communications/public relations. More than three years ago, the opportunity was presented to me to come to Great Southern and start a corporate communications department. An added benefit to coming to Great Southern was that I had the chance to work again with many talented colleagues that I’d worked with in the past at Bank of America. It’s a pleasure to come to work every day at such a great company and to work with such talented people who all want to make a difference for our customers and our community.

What do you like best about your job?

Definitely working with people and supporting what they do to make them successful.

What is most challenging about your work?

Effective communications in any organization is a constant challenge. It can always be done better and more often!

If you could choose any other career, what would it be and why?

I would enjoy about any line of work in which I could help people be successful or help them with their quality of life. Working with seniors in some way or in the health care field would possibly be my choice.

Tell us about your family.

My husband Eric and I have three children: Jake, 13; Chelsea, 10 and Maddie, 7. Eric is employed with Springfield-based F&H Food Equipment. We are fortunate to have a close-knit extended family. Both of our parents live in the immediate area as well as my sister and her family.

What do you like to do in your free time?

My free time is committed to my family, which is a true blessing. We love going to the kids’ many activities and being very involved in their lives. It’s precious time that will only be with us for a short while.

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