Kaye Bergeron: Banker finds local success by ‘giving it her all’

It’s no surprise that many people in the community know Kaye Bergeron. She’s been a banker in Houma 41 years, a member of many civic organizations and won the 2010 Athena Award from the Women’s Business Alliance.

But Bergeron fell into banking. She was picking up a scholarship from the guidance counselor’s office when a call came in from a bank looking for a new employee. The counselor asked if she was interested in a job, she said yes, and a career was started.

“Everything worked out well for me,” said Bergeron. She worked her way from being hired as a bank teller to supervisory positions (which she held for 20 years) through various banking institutions in Houma to her present vice presidency of consumer lending. “It was lucky for me. I don’t think you can do that today” because so many college graduates are attractive hires for banks. “I didn’t consider (consumer lending) was where I would find my niche.”

But she has found her niche, and Bergeron has found helping people in that way to be rewarding.

“Over the years, I’ve figured out ways outside of the box to help people,” she said. Bergeron’s solutions may not have been the exact service customers came to her seeking, but by listening to the customer’s needs, maybe dispensing some financial advice and looking at the bigger picture, she’s been able to provide assistance in many cases.

For example, a client may come in for a vehicle loan, but by reevaluating their financial picture, come up with a loan that consolidates debt while helping to buy the vehicle or better position the client for future purchases. That sort of approach comes with experience, she said.

Bergeron has mainly helped people to finance their homes, vehicles and other needs, but she’s also helped doctor’s offices, florists and other types of business open their doors through loans over the years.

She has preferred working in banking environments like the one found at Synergy n a hometown, locally owned institution where the furthest she’s had to go for a lending decision is down the hall. “It makes it much easier to assist people,” she said.

Although the Athena Award is bestowed on someone who has supported and helped women to strive to their fullest potential, Bergeron said she was surprised to be honored with the award because she’s striven to serve everyone to the best of her ability.

“I’ve really been very fortunate to fall into something I’ve learned to love,” Bergeron said, and never hated going to work, even if the circumstances weren’t ideal. “Retirement’s going to be tough for me.”

“I’ve always been the type of person… If I’m given a task, I’m going to do the best I can,” she said. That philosophy carries over to her involvement in organizations. Among those, Bergeron’s focus now is the MacDonnell’s United Methodist Children’s Services Inc., AMI Kids and South Louisiana Circle of Change. We’re not just talking about her positions on the boards (she’s chairman, president and member, respectively) but being engaged in the groups’ activities. In fact, she broke a rib on her first Challenge Day, when workshops are conducted with junior high and high-school students n and returned the next year.

“I do like working with kids,” Bergeron said. “I think the kids need the support. They need to know that there are people out there who care about them, respect them for what they can do.”

In regard to the youths in the AMI Kids program, which teaches life skills, “a lot of those kids don’t have a chance with the home life they’re leading. It’s not their fault,” she said, but they need to know there is normalcy and they can get their share. “It’s very rewarding personally to help the kids.”

Bergeron’s interest in helping children didn’t arise from a traumatic childhood n hers was a good upbringing n but runs deep. She and her husband, Willie, were married right out of high school, but waited 10 years to adopt their two children. During that time, they were foster parents.

With their two children now grown, Bergeron loves spending time with grandchildren; it’s a top way of spending her spare time, along with fishing at the couple’s camp in Four Point and riding motorcycles. “I don’t like to shop for myself, but I love to shop for my granddaughters.”

NAME: Kaye Bergeron

TITLE: VP of Consumer Lending

COMPANY: Synergy Bank

ADDRESS: 210 Synergy Center Blvd. in Houma

TELEPHONE: (985) 851-3341

WEBSITE: www.banksynergy.com

AGE: 59

EDUCATION: LSU Graduate School of Banking (1994); Terrebonne High School (1970)

FAMILY: husband of 42 years, Willie; son, David; daughter, Amy; and grandchildren, Abbey, 3, Dalton, 11, and Aubrey, 3.

FIRST JOB: Bank teller

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: “I have been able to help so many people do so many things” and that includes customers as well as fellow bank employees through trainings.

ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE SELF: Caring

ADVICE TO OTHERS: “If it is to be, it is up to me” is her favorite 10-two letter customer service words to live by, and they apply to any situation.