Melanie Velasquez once worked behind a bank counter. Now, she’s at the helm of one of New Mexico’s premier banks.

When she was younger, Melanie Velasquez dreamed of becoming a journalist, a career where, as she put it, you could see the “impact you have in your community.”

“I always thought it was really important and a responsibility,” says Velasquez, an Albuquerque native. “Even today, I think it always has a very important place.”

That sense of responsibility led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications from the University of New Mexico, driven by a commitment to “delivering thoughtful, accurate news.”

Velasquez, however, never followed the path of journalism. A move to Phoenix shifted her course, and she found herself in banking — an industry she first entered as a teller for Bank of America while still in school.

That entry-level role became a stepping stone to executive positions at Bank of the West, First Citizens Bank and Wells Fargo.

Today, Velasquez holds the ultimate title: market president of New Mexico Bank & Trust. The bank, with nearly two dozen locations across New Mexico, will soon rebrand under the new ownership of UMB Bank, which purchased the local operation through its acquisition of Heartland Financial USA earlier this year.

Velasquez knows change can be challenging, but given UMB’s “genuine interest to support New Mexico,” she isn’t overly concerned.

“I always say, if (a name change is) our biggest concern with our clients, we’re doing something really superb in our market,” Velasquez says. “We’re committed more than ever.”

What interests you most about banking?

It’s a constant challenge. Every day you learn something new. I have the privilege to work with so many business leaders in our community, whether you’re a startup to a very seasoned business or even looking at an exit strategy. I truly feel that our clients provide us such in-depth knowledge of what is going on in our economy, whether it be locally or even nationally, and what those effects have.

You had a short stint owning a fitness business.

I went through my own health and wellness journey post having children as a new mom, and really trying to understand the balance between being healthy and active and also maintaining the level of energy that it takes to go to work every day, be a strong team player, be a great mom at home. I really took a strong interest in nutrition, and I actually went back to school to get my nutritional license to help coach and work more on the nutritional side and meal planning. In doing that, (I) was able to open up a business and had a very successful run. I truly feel the reason why I was so successful — actually, I was full-time and took a two-year leave of absence and ran the business — was because of my financial background and having that approach of working with business owners for most of my career.

How did you rise in the ranks so quickly at New Mexico Bank & Trust?

I always think of challenges as opportunities. We went through a challenging time with New Mexico Bank & Trust, with some disruption within our organization. … I had not had the title of CEO or bank president, but I’ve been a leader, and I’ve been in a position where I can step in with my experience and my talent and strategies and deliver. It was an opportunity where it was needed to have strong leadership, to have a strong voice and to make sure that we understood that our vision and our responsibilities weren’t hindered.

What’s your leadership philosophy?

What I’ve learned mostly is that you cannot accomplish great things without trust within your team and your organization — and it’s reciprocal. I value that every day, and it really takes time to earn that and to ensure that you embrace that. I think trust is extremely important, especially as we get ready for our own change within our organization, and trusting our leadership and ensuring that we’re delivering with transparency, not only internally but externally. I just think it’s crucial.

What does this UMB acquisition mean for New Mexico Bank & Trust customers?

This will be my fourth bank acquisition in my career, and I truly have been able to ask the hard questions and advocate for our community and for our team members. I have been very impressed by UMB, by their leadership, by their communication and their genuine interest to support New Mexico. This is a new market for UMB, so they have really leaned in heavily — not only to myself, but the entire team — to ensure that they understand the delivery model that we need to continue to execute and grow. … UMB is just giving us more strength, a few more products to deliver, but more importantly, a sound bank that can grow with our clients.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

I feel like I’m much of an introvert. I really enjoy my quiet time. I’d much rather take an evening at home than being out. I think that is just because we are consistently available all day to our clients and to our teams, and so you need a moment to kind of recharge your battery. And for me, it’s a lot of quiet time on my personal time.

What’s the best piece of financial advice you have for young people?

This is important, and this is something I’ve had a tremendous opportunity to speak to — and focusing especially on women entrepreneurs and women in business — is really knowing your numbers. No one watches your dollars and your finances like you do. There’s this investment in knowing your business, and we see it quite often, where (someone has) a phenomenal product or service, and what lacks is having that financial understanding of where your numbers sit. It is really, really important that you surround yourself with a really strong team, whether it be an attorney, a CPA, your banker.