Kelly Reisinger '99 M'05 is senior vice president, IT Enterprise Solutions & Services at Old National Bank. She is a member of the Romain College's IT Alliance, an advisory group made up of senior information technology executives who advise the computer information systems and computer science faculty and students. She earned her bachelor’s degree in computer information systems and an MBA from USI.
Reisinger began her career with Old National in 1999. She is co-chair of the Women LEAD associate resource group at Old National Bank. She is an active volunteer in several community events such as the United Way Day of Caring, Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids’ Sake and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
What is your connection to USI, and what makes USI and the Romain College of Business special to you?
I am an Evansville native and a USI alumni. RCoB is where I really put together what I wanted to do in life. As an incoming freshman I was classified as the dreaded “undecided” major. Once I started taking some business classes it just felt natural to me.
From your prospective, what is unique about the Romain College of Business?
RCoB offers a wide variety of courses. It empowers you to pick a path that best fits your passion rather than generalize in the elusive world of business.
Tell us about some of the highlights as you’ve advanced in your career path.
My career highlight reel thus far looks something like… Fresh out of college, started down a path of hardware and software installation/troubleshooting. Moved up into a couple different supervisor roles. Had my position eliminated due to a company restructuring. Headed back to USI for a Master’s in Business Administration. Obtained a completely different role in technology while also learning the fundamental business of banking. Continued down the path as an application analyst for key banking applications for several years and learned the art of mergers and acquisitions. Now I have the pleasure of watching others define their paths and mentoring them in their career development.
How do most people enter the IT field, and what attributes make a person successful in the IT field?
Many people enter the IT field in some form of a service desk agent. I believe it’s one of best ways to quickly build your personal knowledgebase as well as relationships within the company.
Being successful in IT, or any field for that matter, is about what you put into it. You need to take initiative. Take ownership. And most importantly don’t be afraid to fail. I fail every day – I try to learn from it and move on.
What is one thing you wish you knew when you were in college?
I wish I knew how important it was to network, both in school and in the community. The relationships built in these networks can do so many things for you.
What advice would you give a recent college graduate?
Be humble. Be gracious. Be yourself!
How would you finish this sentence: If I were back in college, I wish I would have taken more classes in________________.
Data analytics. Data is the driving force of sound business decisions.
What are some challenges you see the IT field facing in the short-term and in the long-term?
We are constantly under pressure by regulatory bodies or in pursuit of innovation and differentiation. Short term, there is a need for the skilled resources to take on the ever-increasing demand. And the same resources are burning out quickly as it can only be sustainable for so long. In the long term, it’s keeping the resources actively engaged while also trying to foster creativity and innovation.
Who do you think are the most important/influential people in the IT industry today?
It would be easy to throw out any of the big names from Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, etc, as they are all major influencers in IT in general today. Your industry/field will further dictate the key players. For example, in financial services a lot of eyes are on the FinTech companies and where they are trending.
What factors do you consider most often when planning for the future?
On a personal level, I consider things such as… is this good for my family? Is it good for me and my wellbeing? Is it something that makes me proud?
Professionally, planning involves getting the right people involved from the beginning and making sure we have buy in. You will not get far into your execution strategy if the key players don’t believe in it.
What are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about promoting an inclusive environment, particularly one where women can thrive while also maintaining individual identities.
Who inspires you?
Inspiration comes from several different places. My family, my friends, mentors and some times people I don’t even know.
If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
Anywhere in the Caribbean. Salty air, sandy toes.
Published February 26, 2019