Kelsey Varner 26 Occupation: Assistant treasury management officer
Email: kelseyvarner@carrolltonbanking.com
Education: Bachelor's in business administration from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; 2025 graduate of Illinois Bankers Association's Future Leaders Alliance
Family: Husband, John; dogs, Tuff and Bandit
Affiliations/community activities: Ambassador/team captain for the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce; 2022 Leadership Springfield graduate; Friends of Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center board member; Wooden It Be Lovely Annual Little Black Dress Gala committee member; O'Shea Builders' Emerging Leaders Program
What is your guiding principle in life? Trust the process, God has a plan for you.
What led you to your current career? I started at Carrollton Bank as a part-time teller in early 2018 with no plans of staying in banking, or any plans at all other than wanting to be successful. Since starting, I have had several incredible mentors that genuinely care about me succeeding both professionally and personally. Pair that with a CEO that understands and values each and every employee, and I knew there was no place I would rather be than Carrollton Bank. I have truly grown to love banking and getting to help people in my community.
What would you like to give back to your community? I would love to help people that haven't been as privileged as I have become the best version of themselves and find success, whatever that may mean for them.
What do you wish your younger self had known when you started on this path? I wish I would have forced myself out of my comfort zone earlier. So many young businesspeople are in the same comfort zone, and creating a network of good people is essential to career growth.
What has been your greatest professional achievement to date? I recently graduated from the Illinois Bankers Association's Future Leaders Alliance program. I gained a wealth of knowledge about banking and got to connect with many great bankers from all across the state.
What's the song you sing in the shower? Anything by Kelsea Ballerini
