Kathy Andrews
Long-distance runners know how to stay on track. Kathy Andrews brings the same focus and resilience in her love of running to her work with clients at Atlantic Capital. She uses her three decades of experience and knowledge of cash management to make life simpler for her corporate clients and keep their businesses moving in the right direction.
Hometown: Stoneham, Massachusetts
Education: Colby College, Emory University’s Goizueta Business School (M.B.A.), University of North Carolina’s Executive Leadership Program
Current Position: SVP, Treasury Services Manager
Commitment, reliability, and efficiency are the defining characteristics of Kathy Andrews. She has worked in finance her entire career and is considered an expert in her field. She has an equal amount of experience in giving back to her community, whether it be through volunteering with local events or helping start a neighborhood charter school. Kathy doesn’t let obstacles stop her from reaching her goals.
Meet Kathy Andrews: She’s a woman, and she leads.
How did you get started in your career?
I began my career at Wachovia as a Relationship Manager calling on large corporate clients in California and Arizona. Ironically enough, my manager at the time was Doug Williams, the current CEO of Atlantic Capital. I transitioned from a Relationship Manager into Treasury Services and eventually into management, where I was responsible for a large corporate treasury sales group. After 15 years at Wachovia, I left to become a Business Manager at Neighborhood Charter School (NCS) in Atlanta. I was both professionally and personally invested in the school, as my own kids attended. I eventually moved back into banking as a Treasury Services Sales Consultant for Wells Fargo before joining Atlantic Capital in 2013.
Tell us about a typical day.
I establish relationships with clients and design the best solution for their unique business needs to make their day-to-day lives easier. I work with our bankers from the beginning to establish a holistic approach to the relationship. My clients range from small businesses to larger commercial clients on both the public and private side. I enjoy getting to know our customers on a personal level, as our department plays a key role in growing their businesses. At the end of the day, my job is to solve business problems so our customers are in the best position to succeed.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
My husband and I were actively involved, along with a number of our neighbors, in starting the Neighborhood Charter School (NCS) in our Atlanta neighborhood. Families were consistently moving away to place their children in better school systems, and we wanted to be a part of solving this problem. My background in banking and finance led me to become the NCS Business Manager. I managed the cash flow, maintained strong banking relationships, and orchestrated Treasury Services for the organization. In addition to working on the business side of the school, I sat on the board and was heavily involved in the PTCA. Now, ANCS (formerly known as NCS) is a thriving school and a staple in our neighborhood. My husband and I are proud to have played a role in creating such a meaningful establishment.
Who inspires you?
My parents. They were the ones who first encouraged me to break into finance and provided experiences that helped fundamentally shape who I am today. They taught me the importance of hard work, humility, and giving back to your community. Growing up, my parents owned a children’s clothing and shoe store with a focus on hard-to-fit children. They had the natural ability to make any child feel special, and the attitude was contagious. Our entire family worked in the store. My siblings and I grew up cleaning the store, stocking shelves, making bank deposits, wrapping presents for customers during the holidays, etc. Growing up in a family business provided me a firsthand experience in understanding the rich complexities of small businesses that I continue to use throughout my career.
Outside of working in their store, my parents and my aunt and uncle also volunteered and organized a group that made meals once a month for the working poor. These are individuals who have jobs but still need assistance with meals. For 10 years, they shopped for the groceries, made the meals, and served the food to hundreds of people. I can only hope to make such an impact on the lives of others as they have.
What do you like to do in your free time?
One of my favorite activities is working out, which doubles as my social outlet. I run or participate in boot camp with my friends, and that’s our time to catch up. I also enjoy volunteering in my community and am continually seeking out new opportunities to give back and get involved. As a family, we love playing and watching sports. My husband and I are both from the Northeast, but all of our kids were born and raised in Atlanta, so our favorite teams are quite varied. The one team we all agree on is Atlanta United. We have season tickets and rarely miss an opportunity to cheer them on!
What advice would you give to women starting their careers?
Be nice to everyone! Just be kind, and never burn bridges—that’s my advice. Don’t be afraid to fail, and if you do, learn from it and keep going. Compete with yourself to always do better, but never forget you are part of a team. It’s the same for balancing work and family; you need to be flexible. Balancing both spheres of life is a constant, daily challenge. You have to be willing to adapt as life shifts and changes.
Kathy Andrews creates opportunities to be helpful both professionally and personally. She is efficient and innovative, with a long record to prove it. Because women like Kathy take the lead, Atlantic Capital helps clients bank in the right direction. If you or your business would like to simplify your cash management or find out how you can benefit by taking advantage of Kathy’s Treasury Services expertise, click here.