MIKE BOWEN HONORED AS ONE OF SOUTH SOUND’S TOP YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Olympia Federal Savings (OlyFed) is pleased to announce Mike Bowen, SVP/Chief Information Officer, was recently named as one of South Sound Business Magazine’s 40 Under 40 Honorees. Bowen was honored for his leadership and accomplishments both with OlyFed and in the community.

Bowen joined the OlyFed team a little less than five years ago with the mission of building an internal Information Technology and Digital Banking team. Bowen shared “It was a big for me moving from the building materials world into the banking industry; however, it only took about a day on the job before I knew it was the right decision.”

In a short period, Bowen has played a critical role in getting OlyFed fully-operational as a digital bank with online account opening and loan application functionality and processes. He also has helped add a new digital banking platform for retail and business customers, along with a new website for an amazing end-to-end user experience.

In addition to being a master contract negotiator, Bowen is a fantastic leader who has put together a talented team of technology and banking specialists to serve both internal and external customer needs. In fact, this past year during the pandemic, Bowen and his team were able to get more than half the bank’s employees working remotely in less than a few weeks.

“Mike is kind, caring and patient and he takes the time to break down complex systems and topics to make them understandable for everyone,” Lori Drummond, President & CEO said. “Mike is a transformational leader who knows how to collaborate and delegate, while inspiring his colleagues towards a common goal. He has helped OlyFed and our community move forward in a positive direction.”

Outside of work, Bowen is fully committed to his family and taking part in his children’s school activities and functions. In fact, Bowen currently serves on the board for the Olympia School District Education Foundation. In his free time, Bowen enjoys hiking, camping, golf, cycling, sim racing and cheering on the Huskies, Seahawks and Mariners.

When asked what he wants to do before age 50, he said, “Hike the entire Wonderland Trail around Mt. Rainier.” You can learn more about all the honorees by reading the full article.