Alexander Zapata: The Business of Giving

Listen to this article

By Evan J. Cutts

“When I walk into work, I set a simple goal for myself: Give more than I take,” said Alexander Zapata, Vice President – Market Manager of Salem Five Bank.

This isn’t a practice typically welcomed in corporate banking, but it’s what sets Salem Five apart. Like many millennials in today’s workforce, Zapata is determined to work for a company that has values and makes a positive impact.

“I work closely with several small business owners, particularly in the Latino communities, to help them move forward in their careers and understand the impact they have as small business owners,” explained Zapata.

As Vice President – Market Manager, Zapata oversees multiple Salem Five locations, addresses complex consumer lending needs, and facilitates banking for community members and small businesses with revenue from 0-$10 million.

Prior to Salem Five Bank, from 2008-2017, Zapata served as Vice President of Citizens Bank in Boston, Saugus, Reading, and Cambridge, while simultaneously earning his MBA from Suffolk University Sawyer Business School (class of 2016), starting his own business, Z-Axis Sports Management, and teaching business and entrepreneurship at his alma mater.

“I suppose having four kids didn’t keep me as busy as I needed, so I had to add more to my plate,” he joked.

Kidding aside, Zapata is a man deeply involved in his career and community who also sits on the Board of Directors for the YCMA of Greater Boston, Girls Inc., and Equity Lab Charter. Upholding these responsibilities and a family begs the question: How do you balance it all?

“I met a gentleman who would become my mentor at a future job interview who introduced me to the concept of ‘life-work balance.  In that conversation, I learned the importance of ‘life,’ which for me is my family. When I put my family at the core of everything I do, it helps me to focus on what matters most,” reflects Zapata.

As a community and business leader, Zapata is eager to share his perspective with other young professionals at the upcoming “pOpUP Color: The New Balancing Act” hosted by Hill Holliday, Thursday, February 15th.

“To be an effective leader you need three things: emotional intelligence, patience, and the overcoming of your fear of failure.”

Alexander Zapata will serve as the moderator and one of three panelists for pOp UP Color

pOp UP Color (pOpC) creates robust events to provide intimate and expert insights into a variety of fields impacting and impacted by our millennial audience.

‘The New Balancing Act’ convenes a forum of diverse, young professionals discussing the shifting priorities of today’s millennials. The discussion will touch on topics such as values (corporate, social, personal), strategies to maintain work-life balance, and the importance of ‘impact.’