This article is the next in our Expert Intel series where Mabrey Bank financial experts are asked specifically about one of their areas of experience. In this Q&A we talk to Chief Human Resources Officer, Kendall Mullen, about the role each team member plays in creating and sustaining culture within the workplace. Kendall has been in HR at Mabrey Bank for nearly 20 years and is a SHRM-Certified Professional.
To see the previous installment in our Expert Intel series, click the link below.
Building Long-Time Client Partnerships – John Pixley
The New Age of Digital Banking – Laura Zigler
What is your role at Mabrey Bank and your area of expertise?
I serve as Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Vice President at Mabrey Bank. I oversee HR, including payroll, benefits administration, performance management and talent acquisition. I am also responsible for our Training and Development team, which leads bank-wide training programs and team member development.
My focus is on organizational strategy, compensation, leadership alignment and helping create a culture that supports performance, accountability and long-term growth. I rely heavily on my team and am incredibly thankful for the experience, passion, care, kindness and fun they bring, not only to me, but to the entire bank.
What trends or changes are you currently seeing in creating workplace culture?
Culture is becoming less about programs and more about consistency. Team members expect consistent clarity, transparency and follow-through from leadership. There’s also a shift toward flexibility with accountability – people want autonomy but still want clear expectations and present leadership.
At the same time, maintaining a culture where people assume positive intent and see the best in others is becoming more difficult, but more important. Organizations must be intentional about reinforcing trust. Fostering a culture, where questions are encouraged, not avoided, to embrace curiosity and ultimately growth is needed for long-term success.
What is a common misconception you often see when trying to grow culture within a team?
That culture is driven by HR or initiatives. Culture is shaped by leaders and reinforced daily through decisions, behaviors and what is tolerated. You can’t “roll out” culture. You have to model and maintain it. Team members want genuine support and to be led with humility and honesty by leadership.
Another misconception is culture must stay the same as an organization grows. Growth doesn’t have to dilute culture. It can enhance it. Often, it’s not growth that creates tension, but a fear of change. Strong cultures evolve intentionally while staying grounded in their core values.
What should be front of mind for clients right now when they engage in culture building?
Alignment. If leadership isn’t aligned on expectations, accountability and priorities, culture efforts will fall short. Culture reflects what leadership consistently reinforces, not what is communicated in a presentation.
There should also be recognition that culture takes effort, time and can be uncomfortable or inconvenient. It demands leaders be present and engaged. I don’t always get that balance right, but I know when I do, it matters – and it’s worth it.
How does Mabrey Bank’s approach in creating and sustaining a healthy culture differ from other financial institutions?
A few things come to mind.
First, we are intentional about team member relationships. Our team genuinely enjoys each other and has fun together, and that matters. We create opportunities for people to build meaningful relationships and enjoy where they work. You can see it in our team member events, feel it in the work environment, and hear it in the day-to-day interactions across the bank. While it may sound cliché, we care about each other in a way that feels like family. More importantly, we show care through how we support one another every day. One of the strongest validations of this is the number of team members who choose to return to Mabrey. We have a high level of rehires, which speaks to the experience people have here and the value they place on our culture even after they’ve left.
Second, we don’t rely on programs or initiatives to define our culture. It’s shaped by the expectations we set, how we communicate, and regular day-to-day experiences and interactions across our teams. Leadership supports both accountability and flexibility while keeping people at the center, and that is evident in the way the Mabrey family works side by side with our team members. They are accessible, supportive and genuinely easy to work for. We’re not aiming for perfect culture, but rather we set a focus on learning and adapting if something isn’t working and then continuing to move forward.
Lastly, as we grow, we are intentional about protecting what makes us who we are while staying open to evolving where it makes sense. That balance – staying grounded in our values while adapting as needed – is what allows us to sustain a culture that feels genuine, supportive and worth being part of. A good example of this is how we’ve evolved various internal structures and processes over time while keeping our focus on team member relationships, transparency and doing what’s right for our team members. We’re willing to make changes when something needs to improve, but we’re equally intentional about not losing the personal connection and level of care that defines Mabrey.
How do you utilize Mabrey Bank’s mission and core values when it comes to engaging Mabrey team members?
We use our mission, vision and core values as a decision-making filter across hiring, promotions and performance conversations. They set the expectation for how team members show up, how we serve others and what it means to be the bank of choice. Our core values are embedded in our performance reviews and reinforced through the actions of our leaders and team members. This isn’t something we occasionally refer to. It’s engrained in how we evaluate, recognize and hold each other accountable.
What should businesses be preparing for in the next 5 years when working to build culture?
Businesses should prepare for increased expectations around transparency, accountability and leadership effectiveness. Team members will continue to expect clarity on performance and purpose. Organizations that succeed will be the ones that simplify, communicate clearly, and hold leaders accountable for the environment they create.
There will also be a greater need to stay agile and open to new ideas. Organizations can’t be anchored in “that’s how it’s always been done,” limiting progress or openness to change. At the same time, they must protect what defines them and has contributed to their success. The ability to evolve, adapt and thoughtfully challenge the status quo – without losing your core identity – will be critical to sustaining a strong culture.