Bio
Scott Lubbers
Lakeshore Market Executive
Vice President, Fifth Third Bank
Scott Lubbers serves as the market executive and vice president of commercial banking in West Michigan. He is responsible for understanding the objectives of middle market clients and partnering with them to deliver solutions that fit their needs. Scott’s focus is predominately on the lakeshore, west of the Grand Rapids market.
Scott has more than 18 years of well-rounded experience in commercial banking working with business owners. He began his career with Fifth Third in 2002 as a commercial credit analyst where he gained insight and expertise analyzing financial statements. Since that time, he has served in roles in commercial real estate, business banking and commercial middle market. In 2014 Scott became the lakeshore market executive overseeing Fifth Third Bank’s community activities.
Education
Scott earned both his bachelor’s degree in business administration and his master’s degree in business administration from the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University.
Professional and Civic
Scott serves on the board of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Holland and Lakeshore Advantage. He is also involved in his church as a board member at Ridge Point Community Church. His previous board positions include Good Samaritan Ministries and Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity.
Questions:
Scott, you have years of Senior Executive leadership experience, in which I’m sure a lot of lessons were learned. What has been one that you’ve been able to pass along?
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care – Theodore Roosevelt
I’ve been fortunate enough to learn from some great leaders and friends who actively live this quote daily. We are at our best when we are in genuine relationship with others – the last year has reminded us of this fact. Ideas flow naturally, best efforts are offered, continual learning is sought, and healthy pride exists when relationships are healthy. This applies to all areas of life of course.
In banking, we realize and are thankful that our business is still largely relationship based. Our team genuinely enjoys competing and serving our clients together. We take pride in knowing and caring for each other “off the field” and realize that these healthy relationships among colleagues allow us to seek the same partnerships with our clients. Genuine relationships cause us to be our best and bring joy and fulfillment to our work.
Talk to us about company culture. What are some values that you and your team live by?
One of my primary responsibilities in leading our Lakeshore banking team is creating an environment where we deliver the whole bank to our clients. We can only do this with a healthy culture. It isn’t about the next transaction or closing. Our bankers ask great questions, listen, and respond with sound advice and banking solutions. Our culture is driven by these guiding principles.
Why We Do What We Do:
Our vision is to be the One Bank People Most Value and Trust. The “One Bank” part of our vision means going to market together – understanding our client’s business and personal objectives and responding with a coordinated effort from professionals across multiple lines of business.
Customer At The Center:
We work hard to improve the lives of our customers, our communities, and our employees.
What We Do To Deliver Value:
- Build a Stronger Community – Effect positive change. Empower the underserved. Be actively engaged.
- Provide Better Solutions – Drive product and service innovation. Provide a world-class customer experience, every single time.
- Strive for Operational Excellence
- Continuously Manage Risk – Challenge ideas. Test soundness. Promptly escalate issues.
How We Act & Interact With Others:
- Work As One Bank – Proactively collaborate to achieve shared goals.
- Take Accountability – Own what you do. Speak up if something feels wrong, looks wrong, or is wrong.
- Be Respectful & Inclusive – Respect diversity. Fully integrate ideas from varying perspectives.
- Act With Integrity – Be honest. Be fair. Do the right thing.
Fifth Third Bank has been instrumental this last year, helping to connect businesses to loans to keep them afloat during the pandemic. Can you share any significant stories from that experience?
The pandemic dramatically changed the way we needed to serve our clients in 2020. Our team adapted quickly to the new environment – many working remote while our fearless retail team gave an extra effort to keep our financial centers open for our customers.
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) grabbed most of the banking headlines in 2020 and rightly so. At Fifth Third our team stepped up by processing $5.4 billion in PPP loans to over 40,000 businesses that helped protect 605,000 jobs (including nearly 50,000 jobs here in West Michigan)! Every industry was impacted differently by the pandemic. For bankers last spring PPP become essentially 100% of our job, and obviously this work was vital when considering the numbers above. Our clients were depending on us to provide this critical funding. The waters were rough when the program was rolled out as the SBA was forced to set up quickly, rules changed often, and we were all trying to figure out exactly what COVID-19 was. But we stuck together. Our clients trusted us to execute PPP for them so they could focus on successfully managing their business. I am proud of the tireless work our team put in (sometimes around the clock) to deliver for our customers. Banker’s hours no longer exist! We will see if my friends ease up on those jokes!
Fifth Third has a long history of giving back to and investing in our community. We’ve been serving West Michigan for over 160 years. In 2020 it would have been easy to pull back given the uncertainty around us, but instead our team leaned in. I’m proud of that fact, but even more proud of the extra effort that went in to listening to our key frontline community partners. Knowledge learned from them allowed us to develop a plan that provided immediate funding for urgent pandemic-induced issues while also supporting our key long-term partners. We’re not here to simply provide financial services but believe that our mission is to strengthen families and build a stronger community. That commitment was on display in 2020!
What is a book that you’ve read or an influencer that you watch that has made you a better leader?
Andy Stanley has a number of books and teachings on life and leadership. His most recent book “Better Decisions, Fewer Regret” contemplates the importance of asking five critical questions to aid in decision making. In our house we talk all the time about the importance of making good decisions – small and large. Our decisions determine our future and write our story.
Given this month is Black History Month, can you speak to Fifth Third Bank’s DE&I efforts?
Fifth Third strives to be the One Bank that people – all people – most value and trust. I am grateful that we as a bank are committed to supporting and promoting diversity, equality and equity, both within the bank and in our communities. Without action though, nothing changes.
In addition to living our core values, operating our business ethically and treating employees with respect, we are focused on six bold goals to support DE&I. In 2020 we accelerated our focus to achieve meaningful results by 2025:
- Complete unconscious bias awareness training for 100% of employees
- Ensure the diversity of our workforce matches the markets we serve
- Grow leadership positions at each management level for women and persons of color
- Create a work environment where there is no disparity in race or gender
- Advance the bank as a leader in diversity and inclusion
- Achieve and sustain a 10% supplier diversity spend
Can you share why it’s a priority to Fifth Third Bank to invest in economic development, specifically our Annual Investor Briefing?
Fifth Third Bank has invested in the work of Lakeshore Advantage since its founding days in 2003. Having a healthy economic development organization is key to our region’s long-term health. The work of Lakeshore Advantage aims to ensure that current and future generations want to live and work in our vibrant economy. We all have a role to play in shaping our future and that is why we invest in this work. Knowing that a highly talented group of professionals are executing every day at Lakeshore Advantage makes that decision even easier. This group works tirelessly to gather information, turn that data into a strategy to help us get better, and prepare us for where the puck is going in the future.
The Annual Meeting is always an enjoyable event where we have a chance to interact with friends, clients, and colleagues. The event is always well done and balances the right amount of storytelling from the past with challenges for us all looking forward. With the need to take the 2021 meeting virtual the team stepped up to create a memorable experience!