Professional Q&A:  Sandy Rasmussen

Sandy Rasmussen came to Edmond through a career in banking. She is a Certified Treasury Professional with BancFirst Corporation, and is a Senior Vice President Treasury Management Officer. Rasmussen’s career in banking directly led to her ending up in Edmond. Learn about how banking is a small world and what Rasmussen likes about Edmond.

Q: Do you live in Edmond, work in Edmond, or both?

A: I work in Edmond with BancFirst Bank at their main location at 12th and Bryant. I have been with the Bank for three months but in banking for over 35 years. I am new to Oklahoma. [I’ve] been here three and a half months. My husband and I are transitioning our life to the Mustang, Oklahoma area from Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Q: Where did you grow up and go to school?

A: I grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska area and finished high school at Ralston High. Ralston, Nebraska is a suburb of Omaha. I started college at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and finished in Wichita, KS at Wichita State University. I have a bachelor’s degree from Wichita State with a major in Finance and [a] minor in Economics.

Q: What did you do before getting involved with BancFirst?

A: Before getting into banking, I worked in the purchasing area of a large organization in Omaha, First Data Resources. After only a year there I decided being in a back-office environment was not for me.

I first got into banking with a Savings and Loan in Omaha and I started out as a Bank Teller and worked my way up to becoming a Branch Manager.

My family then moved to Wichita, Kansas where we lived for 18 years. I continued my banking career and worked for a locally owned bank as a branch manager and then manager of the Treasury Management Sales team. Treasury Management, a.k.a. Cash Management, became my love in the banking industry.

From Wichita, Kansas, my family moved to Kansas City, Kansas where I worked for a larger regional bank and a start-up bank. From there, I wanted to spread my wings a bit and took a position in Lodi, California, with a 100-year-old local bank as manager of their treasury management sales team. In Lodi, I participated with Leadership Lodi.

After Lodi, I moved on to a couple [of] different banks in the Sacramento, Roseville, California area. Through networking and getting to know many bankers and businesses in the areas I served, my path has always led me to the next great opportunity!

Q:How did you get involved with BancFirst?

A: I reached out to a bank friend of mine who currently lives in Tulsa. She and I worked together when I was at a bank in Wichita, Kansas, that was based out of Stillwater, Oklahoma. She connected me to a recruiter in Omaha, Nebraska, who knows Jim Trent, our BancFirst Edmond President.

Through her assistance and knowledge of Jim and BancFirst, she coordinated my first interview with Jim and the Treasury Management team on Good Friday. I started May 31! 

During my onboarding training I spent some time at our Corporate offices in downtown Oklahoma City and ran into our CEO. The CEO of BancFirst, Darryl Schmidt, hired me into treasury management with a local community bank in Wichita, Kansas 22 years ago! Now I am working under his leadership again!

Small world!

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I have made banking my life-long career! I love the variety, challenges, and partnering with both external and internal clients. I love working with clients to help them structure their accounts, streamline processes, and utilize their working capital by extending payables, and sweeping excess funds to an investment solution.

I work with a great team of amazing people! BancFirst is a great place to work! I enjoy all the people and the different businesses I get to meet and learn about. It is very rewarding!

Q: What’s something you’re passionate about in your personal life?

A: I enjoy spending time with family, taking trips together, getting together for the holidays—attending all the activities they’re involved in. I am married to a wonderful man, David Olander—we enjoy spending time with family and traveling.

I have two sons—Jason, who lives in Mustang, Oklahoma, and Ryan who lives in Alpine, Texas. David has a daughter, Jennifer, in Upland, California.

Together we have eight grandkids – two grandsons and five granddaughters and another granddaughter on the way. sSo you can only imagine how busy life can be!

We have a business in which David actively buys and sells olive oil, balsamic vinegars, and other related food items.

We have three miniature Australian Shepherds, two of which are puppies ten months old! Definitely full of energy! And three cats. And lastly, I enjoy listening to music, dancing, and good wine.

Update before publishing but after the initial interview: My granddaughter-to-be was born on September 19. Her name is Aubrey. She is granddaughter number six. [We’re] very blessed with a happy, healthy new granddaughter!

Q: What do you like about Edmond?

A: There’s a lot of growth in Edmond! I especially love the friendliness, the opportunities, and the beauty of the area. It’s a great community!

Q: What is your number one tip for other professionals?

A: Find something you love doing, keep learning, build a network, and never burn any bridges! It’s all about the relationships you build! Treat people well!