William (Will) Bence

Vice President of Portfolio Management, MB Business Capital

40 Under 40 Category: Portfolio Management

Biography:

Will is a vice president of portfolio management at MB Business Capital. MB Business Capital is the ABL division of MB Financial Bank. Will is responsible for the day-to-day management of 13 relationships totaling approximately $200 million in credit commitments. Business sectors include manufacturing, distributing, retail, and e-commerce. Will’s primary role includes collateral/financial performance monitoring, preparation of credit requests, legal document negotiations, field exam reviews, and loan workouts both in and out of bankruptcy. Will has been with MB and its predecessor, Cole Taylor, for over five years. Prior to moving to portfolio management, Will worked in the ABL underwriting group responsible for deal screening/structuring, underwriting, and loan documentation.

In addition to his day-to-day portfolio management duties, Will has taken on the management of the ABL group’s rotating analysts as part of the bank’s Leadership Development Program. It is Will’s responsibility to ensure that the rotating analysts not only contribute to the group, but also learn ABL. Under Will’s management, the ABL rotation has become a highly sought after destination within MB’s Leadership Development Program.

Will also serves an integral role with regards to MB Business Capital’s strategic planning and reporting. Responsibilities include updating the strategic plan, providing reporting on a monthly basis, as well as helping to develop the group’s three-year strategic plan. Will was tasked with creating the presentation that was ultimately presented by MB Business Capital’s president, Mike Sharkey, to MB’s Board of Directors.

Will’s career began at LaSalle Bank where he was a member of LaSalle Bank’s final credit training program prior to the acquisition by Bank of America. Will stayed with Bank of America for 3+ years serving as a credit analyst and field examiner within Bank of America’s ABL group.

Will received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and an MBA with Honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with concentrations in accounting, economics, and finance. Will is a member of the Commercial Finance Association and Turnaround Management Association.

Will resides in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago, IL with his wife Kristina. Will and Kristina were married in August 2015.

When informed he had been chosen as one of SFNet’s 40 Under 40, Will said,  “Being selected as a recipient of the SFNet’s inaugural 40 Under 40 Awards is a tremendous honor and a testament to all the hard work and late nights. I am fortunate and privileged to work for such a strong and dedicated ABL group in MB Business Capital. MB Business Capital has allowed me to continue to learn and develop every day.”

William Stapel, senior vice president of ABL portfolio management, MB Financial Bank, who nominated Will, said, “Will has done an exceptional job of understanding his clients and this has allowed him to anticipate their needs. Will’s professionalism and communication during the often tough workout process has allowed him to maintain the respect of both the borrower and senior management of the bank. He is respected by his peers.”