SHELLY CARENBAUER
WHEELING — She grew up on a farm in Cameron, and now she helps provide the financing that builds local communities.
Shelly Carenbauer, commercial banking executive for Unified Bank, has two decades of experience as a lender and community leader who sits on boards for a number of civic organizations.
She said she loves her job.
“I’m proud of the work I do and I enjoy sitting on boards,” Carenbauer said. “And I sleep better at night knowing that communities are doing great things.”
Carenbauer entered into banking immediately after graduating from the former West Liberty State College with degrees in business administration and marketing.
Her first job was in Morgantown refinancing vehicle and mortgage loans in the early 2000’s when finance rates were low.
“Then I got a job working in my hometown (Cameron) as a bank manager doing personal loans, but also commercial loans,” she said. “I just loved the commercial side of banking. From there, I worked my way to being a business banker and a commercial lender.
“I did really well on the commercial side, but I really liked the non-profit and municipal loans.”
Carenbauer then began working with local hospitals, colleges, boards of education and other non-profit entities in both West Virginia and Ohio.
“When you work with municipalities, you get involved with a lot of upgrades to the community – such as broadband infrastructure and financing the infrastructure of new schools, bus garages and even police vehicles and school buses,” she continued. “I really like helping out the communities. I’ve been on several boards, and I’m very active within the community.
“I really enjoy working with community lenders and business owners to really strengthen the community in which we live.”
Carenbauer is a graduate of Cameron High School, and grew up on a farm in the Fish Creek community.
While working in Morgantown, she interviewed for a job with the WesBanco branch in Morgantown. The interview was conducted by an employee of the Wheeling office, who proposed she come work at the bank’s headquarters in the city.
After returning to the Ohio Valley to take the job in Wheeling, Carenbauer enrolled at the former Wheeling Jesuit University to obtain a masters degree in business.
She is married to David Carenbauer of Wheeling. They presently are hosting a 16-year-old exchange student from Madrid, Spain. The experience has turned her into a Wheeling Park High School soccer mom.
“We are experiencing living with a teenager for the first time,” Carenbauer said. “He is ‘Mr. Social’ and doing a lot of things. He is playing lacrosse and soccer… and doing travel soccer. Our lives really revolve around soccer right now. We’re out of town almost every weekend for soccer.
“We’re meeting so many people through his sports and stuff. It’s been a lot of fun for us. And we’re really enjoying it.”
Carenbauer has now been in the banking business for 20 years.
Over that time she has been involved with numerous civic organizations, serving on boards for the YWCA Wheeling, West Virginia Northern Community College and the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra.
She is also a member of the Wheeling Rotary.
Carenbauer explained she is able to draw upon the connections she makes in these organizations to better the community.
“It’s not a requirement to serve on boards, but it helps me,” he continued. “I build relationships, give advice and meet people.”
She added the best part of her job is helping to make projects happen in the community, and taking pride in them once they are completed.
“I love the career choice I made,” she said. “I think anything else that I would like to do pertains to banking. I really like being a commercial lender, but I can still do that while working with the non-profits and municipalities.
“Working with businesses and community leaders – knowing what I do – helps the businesses grow. They add jobs to the community, and eventually it puts money back into the community.”
But Carenbauer noted she is also “a people person.”
“My favorite part is building relationships with my clients and community leaders, and really just making the community a better place for everyone,” she said.