When Malinie Staben puts on a hard hat and walks a construction jobsite with one of her Union Bank & Trust clients, she brings an alertness and industry awareness that goes back to her childhood. In fact, her construction knowledge is practically in her DNA. As a child, Staben often accompanied her father, a builder who owned his own business, to construction sites. While she played as her father worked, she began to observe, learn and help.
Being on jobsites at such a young age was “a great learning experience,” Staben said. “I became familiar with the building trades, saw the construction of houses from start to finish, and learned about the costs and risks involved.”
Today, Staben is vice president and residential construction manager for Union Bank & Trust in Omaha. She works with builders and individuals who are building, buying or refinancing homes as well as investors purchasing residential investment properties. Additionally, her team can assist with other facets of consumer lending, such as home equity loans and short-term bridge loans to bridge the gap between selling a home and buying or building another.
Malinie Staben
A natural evolution
After she completed her business degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Staben’s finance and banking career path didn’t start out in construction lending, but rather evolved naturally over time. “My background gave me a lot of confidence and knowledge that I was able to share with clients and businesses,” she said.
On time and on budget
Her keen understanding of the business shapes the way she advocates for her Union Bank & Trust clients. “I’m very budget conscious and I tend to take a conservative approach,” she said. “There can be drastic swings in the housing market from year to year, and I keep my clients’ best interests in mind.”
What’s more, Staben is acutely aware of the need for accurate timelines when planning construction and all of the resources needed to bring a project to fruition. An unrealistic timeline can result in costly delays and setbacks. Staben applies her knowledge to help her clients create achievable schedules for their residential projects.
Seeing it all come together
Staben loves seeing finished houses, building relationships and helping construction businesses grow. “I really like working alongside the client throughout the entire construction process and watching things come together,” she said.
She also finds gratification in working with new businesses and being part of their growth. “Over 20 years, I’ve been able to see many businesses grow from start-ups to strong, established companies,” she said. “It’s gratifying to watch.”
Creating long-term relationships as a community volunteer, as well as in business, is important to Staben. A member of the Metro Omaha Builders Association, Staben sits on MOBA’s finance committee and is part of the Professional Women’s Council, MOBA’s philanthropic arm. Staben also is a Builder Foundation board member.
Mentors and hard work
Industry leaders she met along the way, who served as mentors, have contributed to Staben’s success. The wisdom and encouragement she received from mentors gave her an edge to carve a path toward a fruitful career.
“I have been blessed to have outstanding managers, both women and men, who have supported me over the years,” she said.
Those mentors encouraged Staben to join various professional organizations and become a Leadership Omaha member to help build her career — advice she passes on to anyone wanting to succeed, including her two daughters and her son.
“The key to pursuing your goals is to educate yourself, network like crazy, always be honest and ethical and work hard,” she said.
To learn more about a residential construction loan from Union Bank & Trust, visit ubt.com.
