Meet Assistant Vice President Mary Marshall. Mary has recently been appointed to lead Human Resources and Marketing for KCSB. For someone who is right-and left-brained – Mary just made the perfect career move.
Usually people are either left-brained or right-brained, meaning that one side of their brain is dominant. If you’re mostly analytical and methodical in your thinking, you’re said to be left-brained. If you tend to be more creative or artistic, you’re thought to be right-brained. Mary is definitely both.
Joining KCSB in 2013, Mary has over 30 years in community banking. Her most recent position with the Bank was Assistant Vice President, Branch Administrator. She was also a consumer and commercial lender, focused on helping individuals, families and businesses with their deposit and lending strategies. She has provided coaching in the Bank to strengthen cohesion and enrichment, product delivery, customer service and personal development. Before joining KCSB, Mary was in branch management for 1st National Bank of Three Rivers, Standard Federal Bank and Farmers State Bank.
When thinking of her career, Mary says, “My current position is my favorite. I am finding that HR hits all the buttons for me. I can help people and work with numbers. No two days are the same. I love the variety and the feeling of being able to help others reach their financial, career and life goals.
A true community banker, Mary is involved in her community including sitting on the Board of Directors for the Vicksburg Rotary Club, President for the 2020/2021 fiscal year, as well as Treasurer. Mary is also a mentor for the Strive Program, helping a senior high school student to graduation, a set design and make-up artist for the Vicksburg Rotary Club Showcase, and a bell ringer for the Salvation Army. A previous co-chair, Marshall championed the Vicksburg Christmas in the Village through the DDA, and has been a participant in the Crop Walk, Relay for Life and Generous Hands. In 2015, she received the LM Angell Directors Award, given to an employee who demonstrates outstanding job performance and community volunteerism.
Mary attended Western Michigan University for general business courses and is a graduate of CMU Perry School of Banking. She is also a self-taught oil and acrylic painter.
Mary took over the reins when Rick Phillips retired as Vice President, Human Resources and Marketing on May 28. “It is an honor and a privilege to move into Rick’s position,” said Mary. “Rick was with KCSB for 37 years. He welcomed me into KCSB and was a great mentor and confidant. We worked together daily, so I will miss him, but I am also very happy for him. He dreamed of retirement!”
Outside the office, Mary lets her right brain take over. She is into wildlife photography, painting and drawing, hosting paint parties, outdoor adventures such as kayaking, fishing, hiking, and finding out-of-the-way attractions.
“What I enjoy the most is traveling with my husband,” said Mary. “He’s always a good sport, willing to follow me anywhere, and complain about it for years after. And the best adventures are always worth talking about for years.”
Here are few other fun things to know about Mary!
- What is your favorite pastime? My favorite past time would be camping with my now grown children. It was a joy to go on adventures with them, and now see them taking their littles on similar adventures.
- What are your hobbies? I love trying new things; new crafts such as cross stitch, knitting, crocheting, bead work, using power tools, and tiling. I also make placemat art at a restaurant I go to weekly. I post them on my Facebook page and leave them on the table. It’s a way to sharpen my drawing skills and people often comment about them. I enjoy baking and altering recipes. It took several attempts and combining 3 different recipes to make the perfect loaf of bread. I’m looking for the best non-flat chocolate chip cookie recipe. Let me know if you have one I can try.
- What is your favorite food? I have a favorite at each restaurant I go to, however, I would have to say, on every adventure, the one thing I look for is the local ice-cream shop.
- If you were stuck on an island, what would you bring? Top 100 books of all time, art supplies and licorice.
- What is your favorite holiday, and why? My favorite holiday is Christmas. I love the magic and wonder I see in my grandchildren and my children before them. When for a little while, people are more kind to one another.
- What is on your favorite playlist? I enjoy classical, acoustic, and big band. Some of my favorite artists/songs include George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”, the Carpenters, Simon and Garfunkel, Etta James, Allison Krauss, Blues Traveler, CCR, REM, Aretha Franklin, and Patsy Cline.
- Current books you are interested in? I enjoy reading about mystical, magical, and fantastical worlds. I’m also a sucker for Charles Dickens. My favorite of all time is “A Christmas Carol.”
- TV show you can’t miss. Anything where Sir David Attenborough narrates. I really enjoy natural history documentaries.
- Favorite quote? “God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road.” Karen Blixen