Sara Kemper

Vice President - Director of Operations, SPECTRUM Commercial Services Company

Biography:

Sara Kemper joined SPECTRUM Commercial Services as a credit analyst in February 2000, shortly after graduating from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Accountancy. As a credit analyst, Sara’s key responsibilities were processing the ABL clients’ monthly reporting and monitoring/maintaining all the UCC filings for the company.

After stepping away from SPECTRUM for 2007 to pursue other opportunities, Sara rejoined the team as its director of operations in February 2008 and, in 2015, was promoted to vice president. In her new position, she has helped to streamline processes and procedures while taking on more of a leadership role within the company, including managing the credit analysts and lockbox specialist, being involved in the hiring process, and handling various operations-related tasks. Being able to help keep SPECTRUM a “well-oiled machine” is a point of pride for Sara.

For six years during the holiday season, Sara had headed up a building-wide food drive benefiting Second Hand Heartland where, to date, over 3,000 lb. of foods and $2,000 in donation have been gathered.

What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry?

First is to believe in yourself and what you have to offer. Being confident in your skills and knowledge helps give others confidence in you and your work. Don’t allow someone to have you second-guessing what you have accomplished. Second is to listen to what others have to say. Managers and co-workers can be a wealth of information, especially if they have been in the industry for a while. Not all knowledge can be found in books or on the internet. Lastly, do not be afraid to ask for help. It is better to recognize you need help than do a mediocre job. No one is an expert in everything and asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength.

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?

Networking is important and everyone you meet is a networking opportunity. You never know who you will end up working with or for in the future...especially in this day and age where it is rare that someone stays with one company for their entire career. In our area of finance, our relationships with banks, law and accounting firms, and other industry professionals allow us to help our clients in many different ways, and these relationships are developed through networking. A good first impression is always important…this is how your new contacts will recall you when you meet again whether it is in a social setting at a networking event or at an interview for your next career opportunity.

What kind of role has mentoring and/or sponsorship played in your career?

I’ve been very lucky to have several people, both women and men, throughout my career who have been mentors to me. Working in a smaller office, mentorship has been more of an informal process than some bigger corporations, where everyone from the top to the bottom of our organization helps to mentor young staff members. Having graduated with an accounting degree and being unfamiliar with asset-based lending or the roll of a credit analyst for my first job, I was fortunate to have a great manager take me under his wing and teach me everything I needed to know of the business and lay a good foundation varied backgrounds and experiences which have helped me expand my knowledge base of the asset-based lending world.

What do you think the industry could do to attract and retain the best and the brightest today?

For every person, what attracts them to a profession/career is different, and knowing what drives them is the key to enticing and retaining the best and brightest. Most people want to work someplace they feel they can make a difference and be valued for what they bring to the table. They want to feel like they are a part of the organization and not just another number. When an employee is able to contribute to a project or a deal (even if it is only a small part), they have a sense of purpose and importance… they feel like they belong. This goes a long way towards the employee’s happiness and willingness to continue to produce for the company. Making sure to utilize an employee’s skills and knowledge is an important step to keeping them around. If you don’t, someone else will.