As vice president and branch manager at Busey Bank, Leslie Vallar leads a team of service-oriented associates, coaching, mentoring and inspiring them to be the very best. Her efforts have helped make Busey a “Best Place to Work in Illinois” and “Best Bank to Work For” nationwide.
A graduate of the University of Illinois, Vallar joined Busey in 2010 as an assistant branch manager and was promoted to branch manager two years later, responsible for all operations at the banking center on North Sheridan Road in Peoria. She was recently named vice president at the bank—a testament to her work ethic and service excellence—while retaining her branch manager responsibilities. In 2016, she graduated from the Illinois Bankers Association’s Future Leaders Alliance program, an intensive 13-month professional development program. She also completed Service Plus, Busey’s service training certification program, as well as diversity and inclusion training through the Diversity Awareness Partnership.
A longtime board member for METEC Resource Center, Vallar helps low- to moderate-income families improve their financial well-being through housing counseling, homeownership, credit counseling and financial education. She also serves on Busey’s campaign committee for the Heart of Illinois United Way.
Passionate about education, Vallar regularly assists as a classroom volunteer at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in Morton, and she now serves on the Finance Council of Blessed Sacrament Parish. Leading by example, she and her children are regular participants in Busey’s annual Honor Our Heroes initiative for Veterans Day, helping to create hundreds of cards and letters to thank military members for their service and sacrifice. She also enjoys assisting with the Morton Youth Baseball League.
Vallar is a former classroom teacher for Junior Achievement and has supported the Pediatric Resource Center of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, The Center for Prevention of Abuse and the Blessed Sacrament Parish Capital Campaign. iBi
