Wanda Stevens retires from TBA

Wanda Stevens, who has been a TBA employee since 2006, is retiring at the end of this month. Stevens has spent the entirety of her TBA career in TBA Services Co. (TBASCO). TBASCO is a wholly owned subsidiary of TBA created to manage relationships with providers of bank services, especially focusing on endorsed partnerships. 

“In 1999, I heard through someone in my Bible study group that TBA was looking for an executive assistant to the CEO,” said Stevens. “My good friend Glenda Monroe (who most people reading this know) was looking to make a professional move, so my connection helped her navigate employment at TBA.” 

In about 2005, Monroe started talking to Stevens about potential positions within TBA and TBASCO. 

“We’ve laughed over the years about how we were each somewhat responsible for the other one joining TBA,” said Stevens.

Stevens took over the reins of TBASCO in 2010 and immediately began the process of rebranding, elevating marketing of endorsed partners and developing a more structured pathway to endorsement. She worked closely with the TBASCO Board of Directors to create processes that involved RFP distribution and more stringent vetting for each new endorsement. 

Golfers will remember her for the 13 annual golf tournaments she coordinated. Stevens was at TBA for only a couple of months when she was informed she was responsible for organizing the annual golf tournament the following spring. 

“I could barely spell golf, much less organize a tournament of about 134 players,” she said. “But TBA staff has always put in the teamwork to ensure everything we do is top notch, so I had plenty of help.” 

Stevens said it was running the tournaments that created her desire to learn the game, something she always planned to do in retirement. 

“I planned to start lessons after retirement but a very wonderful man, who is a golfer, [re]appeared in my life a couple of years ago so I got a head start,” she added.

Stevens says out of her 43-year professional career, her 14 at TBA have by far been the best. 

“Working within the community banking industry again was full circle for me,” said Stevens who spent the first 12 years of her career in consumer and commercial lending at Austin-area community banks. “But it is the many friendships I have formed — with bankers, service providers, TBA and other state SBA colleagues — which have been the greatest blessing of all. I have grown professionally and personally and wish I could find a way to thank each individual who has touched my life through TBA over the last 14 years.”

What does retirement have in store for Wanda? 

“Golf for sure, travel, time to do some writing and possibly relocating from Texas to somewhere that has real seasons.” 

Oh, and marrying her first love from high school/college. 

“Just goes to show you are never too old to have fun. Jim (Meador) is the love of my life and I’ve never been happier,” she said.