Jeffrey Giunta

Relationship Management, People's United Business Capital

40 Under 40 Category: Portfolio Management

Biography:

Jeffrey Giunta joined People’s United Business Capital in 2014 as a relationship manager in the Asset-Based Lending Group. In his role at Peoples he manages a portfolio of middle-market asset-based customers.  Prior to joining Peoples United, Jeffrey was with Wells Fargo Capital Finance for 11 years. During his career he has held roles in all aspects of asset-based lending from collateral analyst to collateral examination to his current role as a relationship manager.  In 2008 Jeffrey was awarded Wells Fargo’s Golden Spoke, which is awarded to team members for their outstanding work.  He is an active member of the SFNET and TMA and participates on the TMA golf sub-committee.  Jeffrey graduated from Bentley College (now University) with a BS in finance. He lives in Wakefield, Massachusetts with his wife, Beth, and three children, Charlotte, Benjamin and Daniel.

Is there a piece of professional advice that you would give yourself if you could go back in time?

Learn how to play golf.  Kidding aside, the advice would be the same as it is to be successful in any career.  Work hard, act professionally and don’t be afraid to express your opinion.  I would also say to take everything in stride and not get too worked up in situations.  Sometimes you get bad news, have to deliver bad news or end up in tough situations. Don’t get too stressed and let things play out while managing risk to the best of your ability.  We structure asset-based loans in a way that works for the borrower and manages the risk for the bank.  You need to rely on the structure established because, if things were done correctly, you should be able to manage out of most situations.

What role has mentoring played in your career?

Mentoring has played a huge role in my career development.  I have been fortunate to work for and learn from a lot of great mentors with decades of asset-based lending experience.  The industry has changed so much in my 14 years that it is important to keep evolving and learning.  Mentorship plays a role in that learning process because you are learning from people with real life experiences.

I have been unfortunate/fortunate to have had to manage through multiple liquidations and bankruptcy proceedings.  While it is unfortunate to have to work through the closure of a business, it is a learning experience to carry with you and pass on whatever knowledge was gained.  While I still think of myself as one of the young guys in the office, reality is setting in.  I try to work closely with my younger colleagues to pass along whatever knowledge and experience I have gained over the years. I always appreciated being brought into a meeting or taken on a call and I try to remember to do the same with my colleagues.

How did you wind up in the industry? We know most kids don’t say “I want to be in commercial finance when I grow up.”

I wasn’t enjoying my first job out of college so I was actively looking for something new.  My former employer, Wells Fargo, was recruiting through my school, Bentley College, and through that I got an opportunity to get into the commercial finance industry.  I find the job very rewarding in getting to work with middle-market businesses on financing solutions that help them thrive while keeping the bank in a secure position. While there is a growing list of monotonous tasks, no day is alike and that helps to keep me engaged and on my toes.  It is definitely not the flashy career that kids dream of, but it is a satisfying job that allows me to support my family with a great work/life balance.  People’s United Bank is very supportive of establishing that balance and keeping employees happy and motivated to perform at their best.