Accomplishing Your Career Goals with First Mid

Mandy Lewis Office Photo

At First Mid, we support and encourage all our employees to pursue the dreams they have for their careers. We recently asked Mandy Lewis, our Chief Deposit Services Officer, a series of questions about her career path. Mandy started at First Mid in the Marketing department and has worked her way up the ladder in the Company while juggling both work and personal life as a working parent. She is poised to transition to the role of Chief Operations Officer later this year. Her professional success along with her personal accomplishments have made her an inspiration to many.

Where did you attend college and what was your area of study? What degrees do you hold?

I earned an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Lake Land Community College in Mattoon, IL, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing Communications from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL.

What were your future career goals while you were attending college? Did they change throughout your journey?

While attending college, I had plans to move to the St. Louis area and find a job with an advertising agency. My then boyfriend, now husband, was working near Litchfield, IL, and we thought we wanted the city life. I later started with First Mid on a temporary basis and loved the people I met here. Between that and some events that opened our eyes to how short life is, we decided we wanted to remain close to family and raise our children locally. That ended up being a wonderful decision for me, both personally and professionally.

What has been your career trajectory? Did you imagine yourself holding your current position at First Mid?

After college, I started in a management position in the manufacturing industry, but I quickly realized that company wasn’t a good fit for me. I began searching and found a position at First Mid. I have now been in the banking industry for almost 22 years. My career with First Mid began as a temporary full-time employee within the Marketing department in November 2001. That temporary position turned into a permanent position. I transitioned through the department, later stepping into the Director of Marketing role, then eventually into my current role as Chief Deposit Services Officer in 2014. I knew when I started with First Mid that I wanted to be successful, but more importantly, I wanted to help make the bank successful and I wanted to eventually do that in a leadership role. At the time, I didn’t know what that role would look like, but I knew I wanted to grow within the Company. Thankfully, I have had some wonderful mentors in my career to help guide me.

How have you managed work/life balance while maintaining an executive-level position at a bank? How do you take care of children at home while simultaneously managing a large number of employees at work?

It’s definitely a challenge and some days are tougher than others. I have strong family support, which has enabled me to do what I do while worrying a little bit less about who my children are with or if they are okay. I think anyone stepping into a higher-level management role has to recognize that it’s a give and take. There are times that I miss events with my children, but those are balanced with times where I get to run to an early ballgame. Our remote work flexibility and technology have really enabled me to continue to manage my team effectively when I might have conflicts with my children. In essence, it’s a balance. It sometimes comes with mom guilt or work guilt, depending on the decision you make in the moment, but both my children and my career are some of my greatest blessings.

Was there ever a time you had doubts that you couldn’t handle everything? If so, how did you overcome those feelings?

I think every parent has doubts about what they are doing — if they are doing a good job or if they are making mistakes. I’m no different. During those times, you remind yourself that we’re all managing through issues, stress, etc., and give yourself grace. I remind myself that this too shall pass, and I dig in and keep moving forward.

Do you have a strong support system within your family, friends, and/or work environment that helped make your career possible?

I am blessed with a strong family network but also an amazing team at work. I’ve stayed with First Mid for almost 22 years due to the family-focus that you feel here. I’ve also stayed due to the people that I work with. There are so many amazing people that I have met throughout my career, many that I consider friends now. These individuals have been with me through some very tough patches in my personal life. They’ve been a support network that has helped me navigate my career.

Have you had any mentors you admired along the way who gave you good advice or motivated you?

Yes. I have had strong mentors overall — who were also parents. Our former CEO, Bill Rowland, was a great mentor for me. When I first had children, he reminded me to be sure to stay focused on my family — to work hard, have career goals, but don’t compromise when it comes to your family because your children grow up fast and you can’t get that time back. His words have stuck with me.

Were you given any specific advice or tips that gave you the strength to keep working hard toward your goals?

I think the old rule of thumb — surround yourself with people who will help motivate you, lift you up, and keep you on the right path — has been the best advice I have received. Throughout my career, I’ve always looked for those people. People who align with my personal core values; who are positive; who are successful; who care and want to help others succeed. The people I have chosen to surround myself with or selected as mentors have made a huge difference in my success and the goals I’ve been able to achieve.

Do you have any additional advice for other parents who dream of doing big things in their careers?

You can do it. You can balance being a parent and having a career. Don’t let work guilt overwhelm you on days when you need to be with your children. Don’t let parent guilt overwhelm you on days when you need to be at work. Your children will understand that sometimes work comes first and on the contrary, work will still be there when you get back. Find strength through fellow working parents. It’s extremely helpful to align with others who understand the demands of working all day, then going home to start all over with the demands at home. Having others who you can talk to will help you navigate the difficult days.

With the demands of work and family, do you still find time for yourself?

I think “me-time” is subject to the phase of life you are in. It changes as your children grow and your career progresses. Right now, I find “me-time” in the moments that I steal when I’m not at a ballgame, Girl Scouts, volunteer, or work event. Time with your children is so precious and I remind myself “this too shall pass” when I’m feeling stressed and not getting downtime from work or personal life. The old saying, “Don’t blink!” is so very true. With my youngest child starting kindergarten and my oldest child graduating from high school this year, it’s been a very real reminder that I will have more me-time than I will probably want in the blink of an eye. This reminder helps when the stress peaks.


If you are interested in starting a career with First Mid, we have many open positions throughout our various departments and across our entire footprint. If you are interested in exploring and/or applying for one of our open positions, visit our Current Openings page, which can be found on our Careers page. There are many benefits to working at First Mid, such as health insurance, paid time off, and employer matching for 401(k) and HSA accounts. We are a great Company for a working parent to grow in their career, as it is important to us that our employees have a work/life balance. If you value both your professional life and your personal life, we encourage you to apply. There could be a place for you here.