Even as a child growing up in a small Northern California town of 5,000 people, Shannon Petersen knew that she would one day work in financing. But it was her participation in sports and other extracurricular activities that formed the foundation of who she is today.
“I played volleyball, basketball, softball and also raised pigs and sheep for the Future Farmers of America and 4-H group,” she recalled. “Those activities taught me social skills, how to accept defeat and move forward, and made me into a more productive person. I used the money that I earned from the sale of my pigs and sheep to buy my first car, a 1990 Honda Civic.”
Petersen worked as a lifeguard to help pay for college at University of California, Santa Cruz. Because she had such focus on her future ambitions, she was able to earn both a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in finance in a five-year period. After graduation, she spent four years working at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
After meeting and marrying her husband, Trevor, who grew up in Las Vegas, the two moved from the California beach community to the Nevada desert 13 years ago. It was both an exciting but solemn day on Sept. 11, 2001, when Petersen reported for her first day of work as an underwriter at Nevada State Bank. Petersen worked her way up to relationship manager, corporate sales manager and then to her current position of executive vice president and corporate banking manager.
“I am very loyal to Nevada State Bank and lucky to work for a company who has treated me fairly by recognizing the importance of a well-rounded management team,” she said. “I am most proud of being named the first female executive vice president of NSB.”
Petersen’s colleagues praised her skills as “an experienced tightrope walker, balancing regulatory restrictions and the bank’s risk tolerance with the multi-million dollar lending needs of her team’s business clients.”
Petersen reciprocates with mutual admiration: “My colleagues play a crucial role in accomplishing our objectives. They give 100 percent and truly value our mission.”
When not giving her all at the bank, Petersen is busy being a mom. “My biggest fear in life is missing out on my children’s growing years. Family time is extremely important to me, and I go the extra mile to ensure none of the school performances, field trips and sporting events are missed.”
Like their mother, Hayden, 11, and Trinity, 9, are active, with the children participating in Little League baseball, cheerleading and academics. The Petersens’ oldest son, 21-year-old Carson, is attending Northern Arizona University.
— By Robert Horne
