Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 17, 2022 | Worcester Business Journal 21 Monica Thomas-Bonnick Business lending officer for Webster Five, in Auburn Executive director/treasurer for Webster Five Foundation Residence: Worcester Education: Bachelor's degree in finance from University of Oklahoma; MBA from Simmons University What are the keys to success for women in the workplace? Dependability, honesty, sound judgment, respect, and resilience; having a voice and using it to impact the organization; having a sponsor within and a mentor outside the organization; work-life balance. What is the biggest obstacle you had to overcome? Being a BIPOC female in a nontraditional role and not always having an equitable seat at the table. Who inspires you? My mom inspires me. She worked in nontraditional roles most of her career. She treats everyone with respect, kindness, and fairness. She lives a life characterized by integrity and grace: characteristics I would like ascribed to my life. O U T S T A N D I N G W O M E N F O C U S I N B U S I N E S S BY SUSAN SHALHOUB Special to WBJ M onica om- as-Bonnick is a pro at packing boxes and coming into new commu- nities. And, of course, she wouldn't dream of not getting involved in community causes once there. omas-Bonnick, a business lending officer for Webster Five Cents Savings Bank and the executive director of its foundation, has brought her successful brand of personal and professional ex- cellence right along with her to Central Massachusetts. "e mission of our bank is to take care of our employees, our customers, and our community," said Don Doyle, Webster Five president and CEO. "Mon- ica omas-Bonnick exemplifies that. In this city, it can be difficult to settle in as an outsider, but she has made an effort to get involved and is a difference maker." ough born in Fort Worth, Texas, omas-Bonnick was only there until first grade. Her family moved to Oklaho- ma for a time, then to Nashua, N.H., where she remained until high school. "I consider that home," said om- as-Bonnick. ough she'd leave New England again, she'd be back, and then back again. She earned her bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Okla- homa and her MBA from what was then Simmons College, now Simmons omas-Bonnick makes community central to banking University, in Boston. Work eventually took her from Boston to New York, Southeastern Massachusetts, Texas, and to Central Massachusetts. "I started a team in Queens and Man- hattan," she said. "en, 9/11 happened. Our bank got sold to Bank of America." Bank of America then set om- as-Bonnick up as a senior relationship manager and small business team lender in the Fall River area, where she worked from 2003-2005. "But our culture didn't support the model we used," she said. "I stayed there for about two years. en I le and went to Dallas and Fort Worth to work in automotive." She spent a few years at Chase, as a Small Business Administration credit approval officer, before taking the posi- tion at Santander Bank's auto specialty group. A sabbatical to raise her nephew preceded the start of her role at Webster Five in September of 2017. In 2019 she became executive director and trea- surer of the Webster Five Foundation. e foundation, founded in 1997, has donated $3.1 million to various non- profits, with $210,765 in annual revenue, according to Guidestar.org. Having been a Girl Scout all through childhood, community causes to which omas-Bonnick donates her time represent the underserved: children's welfare, education, racism, and equal business access to capital. "It's part and parcel of who I am. I like to deal with systemic issues, so we can improve the lives of everyone, which goes back to what I do, so we can create wealth for business owners and pay a living wage so they can create wealth too," omas-Bonnick said. "Not even creating lots of zeroes, but being able to send their kids to the school where they want, healthcare, things that ought to be basic." Originally a pre-med student in college, omas-Bonnick switched her major to finance, taking a fih year to finish up. She finds the skills she learned in her pre-med education to be applica- ble in banking. A lab hypothesis is working on getting a conclusion with due diligence, she said. Sometimes she works on a deal with a client, considers all factors and has to tell them that what they want is really not what they need. "I went into pre-med to help people. Now I do that in a different way," om- as-Bonnick said. PHOTO | MATTHEW WRIGHT W

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