Monica Brooks

The branch banker is a fantastic ambassador of your branch, able to drive conversations with customers and also create efficiency by allowing them to cover multiple functions. Yet having all people cover all roles takes in-depth training and a long time to implement, meaning that it may not meet the needs of every branch or community.  In this engaging fireside chat, award-winning leader Monica Brooks, AVP of Branch Strategy at PenFed, shares how her team is redefining the branch staffing model—going beyond a one-size-fits-all approach to build a more flexible, channel-aware, and specific workforce. From high-traffic hubs to quieter community branches, Monica highlights strategies like leveraging alternative staffing to absorb call center volume in-branch, shifting roles based on member demand, and training for both advisory and transactional excellence—and more. Attendees will learn how to restructure branch teams to be more agile, cross-functional, and advisory-driven– while deciding which functions should be differentiated to meet the needs of their members. This session will provide practical takeaways on:  

• Evaluating your customer needs and branch processes to develop a banking model that works for your organization  
• Developing multi-skilled employees who can seamlessly handle everything from teller functions to complex member consultations  
• Empowering staff through targeted training and leadership development  
• Building a branch network that is agile, efficient, and deeply member-centric