Before his career in equipment finance, Conor Pennell held many jobs in kitchens, banquet halls and resorts and really fell in love with culinary arts. Throwing dinner parties for friends and family and cooking are Pennell’s favorite hobbies that he enjoys as a creative outlet. He finds it satisfying to source ingredients, transforming them into something greater than the sum of their parts and sharing the results with others. When he is not in the office, Pennell can probably be found at the grocery store or farmers’ market, or in the kitchen.

As the vice president of portfolio operations, Pennell manages the lessor finance relationships at BankFinancial, which includes day-to-day line of credit activity as well as discount requests for those same customers. Having experience on the lessor and banking side has given him unique experiences, knowledge and skill sets to problem solve, understand the needs of BankFinancial’s customers and help build and establish products that allow the bank continue to assist its customers in growing their businesses.

Pennell thinks achieving a work-life balance is important. To achieve it, his advice is to set clear boundaries, communicate openly and honestly, engage in activities that clear your mind and, lastly, to ask a lot of questions and to ask for support when needed. One piece of advice from a former mentor sticks with him: “You don’t always need to know the answer. It is okay to say, ‘I don’t know,’ and to work on finding the answer or solution.” Remembering this helps Pennell get into a positive mindset, he says, especially when he is feeling a bit overwhelmed. It helps him stay adept at managing a variety of tasks and heavy schedules.