PRINTTeresa Maledy: The go-getter
CEO of Commerce Bank's Central Missouri Region
John Schreiber
Teresa Maledy had to "fight and come up the hard way," to make it as the CEO of Commerce Bank's Central Missouri Region.
November 12, 2009 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Age: 53 | Time spent in Columbia: 37 years
When Teresa Maledy broke through the glass ceiling, she shattered expectations of what business women could accomplish. Once a part-time bank teller who worked to make ends meet in St. Charles, Maledy rose to become Columbia’s only female bank president and CEO. Since 2002, she has overseen the Central Missouri Region for Commerce Bank.
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But Maledy’s passions extend beyond her job. She is an alumna of Stephens College, where she serves on the board of trustees, and she volunteers at the Central Missouri Food Bank. For her exhaustive efforts, Maledy was awarded the 2009 Athena Award, given by the Columbia Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Network to women helping other women excel in business.
But Maledy didn’t grow up with dreams of conquering the business world. When she took the teller job, she was working as a teacher. Realizing that Commerce could offer many avenues of challenge, she decided to change careers. Beyond the power suits and high interest rates of the ’80s, Maledy attributes her success to being in the right place at the right time. She admits that women in management positions had to “fight and come up the hard way,” but she now sees that the banking industry has transformed to include more females.
Her ascent might have been rocky, but moving back to her hometown has been rewarding. As chair of the Chamber of Commerce in 2006, she helped launch the Centennial Investors program, aiding new businesses by finding investors. The program gives startups a boost, hoping they will grow to benefit Columbia’s diverse employment market.
While Maledy believes fostering a healthy business environment is important, she knows keeping foundations in place is essential. “We have a wonderful economic base with higher education, health care and also insurance,” she says. We’re fortunate to have that.” Maledy thinks working to expand these businesses will benefit the city.
The view from the top is a clear one. Maledy knows that helping Columbia grow will not be easy. “It’s a day-to-day effort,” she says. “It’s building relationships and making strategies, and I do believe we’ve come a long way.”
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