Thomas X. Geisel

Tom Geisel, a financial services executive based in New York City, was recently featured by Banking Exchange in the article, “Sterling National’s Profitability Prescription.”

In the article, Mr. Geisel explains that a bank’s typical pattern is to develop an expertise locally. Then the bank will build it out regionally by following expanding customers, and then nationally, taking advantage of both existing expertise as well as hiring teams that have specialized experience in the expanding activity.

The Secured Lender recently quoted Thomas Geisel, a financial services executive based in New York City, discussing the recent success of Sterling National Bank.

“We understand our clients’ needs, and we’re able to offer something different from both our large bank and specialty finance competitors - expertise in specialty lending, but within the safety and security of a bank environment,” Mr. Geisel said.

Originally published in American Banker magazine in July 2013.

Banking, by its very nature, is not an open industry. Customer information is private, transactions are confidential and secure data is vigilantly protected. On top of that, our industry is highly regulated, leaving little room (and legal risk) for missteps. No wonder most bank executives shy away from engaging in social media. The very nature of social media requires people to step into the public fray, open themselves up to feedback (at best) and scathing criticism (at worst) and communicate directly with stakeholders.

In October 2013, Thomas Geisel was interviewed by SNJ Business People and he discussed the unique career path that eventually led from foreign diplomacy to financial services.

Earlier this year, Sterling National Bank announced that Thomas X. Geisel was appointed Executive Vice President and President of Specialty Finance.

Former President and CEO of Sun National Bank, Thomas X. Geisel has had a lengthy career in banking and finance and previously served as an award-winning Special Agent within the Drug Enforcement Administration and as a foreign diplomat. Today he is a financial services executive based in New York.

Originally published in July 2011. Written by Alexandra Harcharek.

Q: How do you build strong client relationships? A: We have the best of both worlds as an organization. Because of our size, we have products and services that some of the larger institutions have, but our distribution is a community banking model. We get to sit and talk with our clients all the time, to interact with them in the community. Something we do differently is relationship review sessions with our customers, to discuss what’s going on in the industry and how we can help them.

Q: Any business advice you live by? A: Mindset is everything. If you work hard enough and you’re not deterred or distracted by short term setbacks, you can actually control your own destiny.

Q: What business book would you recommend? A: I believe you can learn a lot more from philosophy and history—things that can teach you life, more than business principals. I frequently read Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, by the philosopher and Roman emperor; a series of passages dealing with spiritual and ethical insights.

Q: What's in your briefcase? A: I travel very light. Give me my iPhone, wallet, business cards, pen and paper and some catch-up reading and I’m good.