Paul Thome: banking on experience.

• Author: Sorensen, Dan
• Position: Around Utah

With more than 37 years working in the baking industry, it's hard to find someone with more experience than Paul Thome, Thome was recently named president of Utah-based Sallie Mae Bank, the nation's largest financial services company specializing in higher education.

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Thome began working as a teller while in college. Since then, he has held many executive positions at a variety of financial intuitions, including his most recent title of senior vice president of business finance and procurement for Sallie Mae Bank.

Being at the top of a company managing $180 billion in debt is no easy task, but Thome, who is self-admittedly competitive, shows a tenacious attitude to the large task and has big plans for the company in the coming years. He is also very confident in those around him and chalks up much of his success to the teams of people working with him at the bank.

"I've always been good at developing people and letting them fill their natural roles," he says. "People in general, but certainly leaders, all have different styles that evolve over time. I think you have to always look at where they came from--the different experiences they've had--to understand them."

As changes have occurred in the banking industry, Thome has modified the bank's strategy to maximize new technology and products as they are created and released.

"You...