Joyce Smith of MidFirst Bank
Banking on Community

By Stacey Gualandi

After four decades in banking, Joyce Smith, senior vice president of commercial banking at MidFirst Bank, said she’s finally reached the pinnacle of her career.

“I’m now the incoming chair for the Vegas Chamber. I think that is the coolest thing, and I’m very excited.”

For Smith, taking a leadership role in the community comes after several hard-earned years of interacting with and helping people. She has more than paid her dues.

“Over a period of time, I realized I love building relationships and helping people achieve their dreams and goals, and I try to treat every one of my clients like they’re family,” she said. “I love driving by and seeing that I helped build that building, helped that business get started or expand, and helped someone buy their first home or their second or third. I want them to worry about their success, not their banking.”

Joyce Smith

As a commercial and private banker, Smith works with middle-market and large-scale companies and individuals, helping them with everything from cash management to business and personal accounts. Her clients span a variety of industries, including general contractors, attorneys, CPAs, landscaping companies, healthcare and golf courses.

“We just do the full gamut from A to Z on products and services that people, both individually and their business, need to be successful,” she said.

While Smith originally wanted to be an architectural engineer (“I didn’t like the electrical class!”), the banking business made more dollars and sense. Las Vegas became her home almost 30 years ago, and she has been with her husband for 47 years.

Investment, she said, is the key to her success.

“I always tell people I never give up. You don’t give up on a relationship. You don’t give up on your career,” she said. “I’ve gone through the savings and loan debacle in the 1990s, the downturn in 2008, the deposit thing in 2020. I mean, I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly. You have to be flexible!”

Flexibility isn’t her only word of wisdom.

In this fast-paced, ever-evolving environment — especially with AI — Smith offers her personal mantra for those looking to better manage their finances.

“I always tell them to build good relationships with their bankers so that when they need that help, they’re there and they know they have an individual to help them,” she said.

In other words, get to know a banker, not a bank.

But for those wanting to “break into” banking as a profession, Smith said go big. As in a big bank.

“They have wonderful development programs to learn from. Then, in the future, if you want to move to a regional or smaller bank, do so,” she said. “Smaller and midsize banks don’t have the resources to do 14-week training programs, so I always tell people, ‘Go to a big bank, get trained, and then come see me.’”

Smith said she’s also learned a lot about herself while navigating the banking industry.

“Being a partner and educating people and helping them is so fulfilling. It’s also sad. I just had a client pass away yesterday, and I sat here and cried in my office. I was so sad,” she said.

“But what I do know about myself is I’ve fallen in love with the community. I love this community, and I want it to be strong; I want people to be successful; and I want people to grow.”

For more information on MidFirst Bank, visit midfirst.com.