Kimberly Zwier

Banking Relationship Manager, Fifth Third Bank, NA

By Jackie Whetzel

Kimberly Zwier, banking relationship manager for Fifth Third Bank, grew up in the small town of Marblehead, Ohio, where she was taught at a young age the importance of giving back.

Her first real introduction to the world of volunteerism happened around age 8, when her grandmother inspired in her a love of horses.

“Every summer, my grandparents would take us to a ranch in Colorado to ride horses,” she recalls. “For several years, my horse, Belle, and I would volunteer at Riders Unlimited, a riding program for disabled adults and children. I would ride to another barn a couple miles away twice a week, and Belle was great at helping the new riders learn.”

From there, Zwier began volunteering with organizations such as her local 4-H club, humane society and pony club. During her early service endeavors, she developed such an affinity for animals that she entered college with the plan of becoming a veterinarian. When she realized animal surgeries made her queasy, she tweaked her minor to open up more career possibilities. She graduated from Ohio State University in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in animal science and a minor in agribusiness.

Zwier launched her professional career at State Farm Insurance, where her initial focus was in home and auto insurance sales. It was her experience in the insurance industry that taught her to value strong business relationships, which is a major focus of her present-day position at Fifth Third.

“When I first started selling insurance, the main goal was to save my clients money,” she says. “However, I discovered I enjoyed customer service and helping people just as much as the challenge of selling. Over time in my role as a professional in banking, I’ve learned that while money is still important, it is just as important to have a strong business relationship with good customer service and to be a trusted advisor.”

Zwier made the transition into the banking industry first at Wells Fargo. When she relocated to Charleston, WV, in 2012, she launched her career at Fifth Third Bank, where she serves as the go-to person for business owners and their banking needs.

“I really enjoy learning about different industries, meeting different people and helping business owners achieve their goals,” she says. “While I help them with standard things like commercial loans and deposits, one of the underrated and unknown resources of my role is connecting people and encouraging them to think about their businesses a little differently. For example, I help business owners with succession planning.”

Zwier credits her success to her compassion, persistence and openness to critique, and she uses these characteristics every day in both her professional and personal life. One of her biggest challenges today is balancing her role as a wife and mother with her career.

“When I first started working in banking, I would put in long hours working and volunteering,” she says. “Being in my role for a while has helped, but I still have to prioritize my day with what I need to accomplish first.”

While there’s no doubt that Zwier’s days are busy, she still makes plenty of time for that early life lesson she was taught to always help her neighbor.

In the past, she has volunteered for organizations such as Generation Charleston, Capital City Humane Society, Heartland Humane Society, YMCA and the Boy Scouts of America Buckskin Council. Today, she is a volunteer for the Charleston Lions Club and a member of the Charleston Rotary Club. She also invests a lot of her time with the United Way of Central West Virginia as chair of the Citizens Review Team and as a mentor for Education Elevators.

“I’ve chosen these two because there is a constant and growing need to help guide our youth on a successful path in life and to be a positive role model, cheer them on, give them confidence and encourage them to fulfil their goals,” says Zwier. “If you choose the right organizations to volunteer with, you truly feel fulfilled.”