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John Granato, Vice President of Retail Branching, and Zoar Palma, Director of Retail Branching, bring a combined half century of experience and an exciting new vision to branch leadership.
John Granato
Zoar Palma
“A title is one thing. A leader is someone who cares.”
In one sentence, Zoar Palma beautifully encapsulated the philosophy of our retail leadership team. Overseeing its new direction is John Granato, who was promoted to Vice President of Retail Branching from within Sunward after 24 years in the industry.
John’s steady climb up the ladder began when he left the military and found a job as a teller. He discovered that it was the perfect channel to apply his passion for service. Now, many years and promotions later, he’s bringing his unique perspective and energy to retail leadership. In addition to his new role, the team also brought in banking superstar Zoar Palma, who brings 27 years of experience to Sunward as Director of Retail Branching.
Though John and Zoar followed their own paths, their journeys—and leadership ethos—have remarkable similarities.
Zoar also started her career as a teller, where she saw the impact of financial literacy and banking access. She honed her talent for working with people, inspiring drive and determination in those around her. It didn’t take long for her career to blossom, launching her to new heights in the business.
Having served in nearly every capacity within branches, both Zoar and John emphasized the importance of connection as the basis for strong leadership.
“You have to spend time with your people,” John explained. “That’s how you’ll know their strengths, understand where they are, and find alignment. …Leadership isn’t about bossing people around. You have to listen first and show you care.”
This sentiment was echoed by Zoar, whose human-centered approach has led many of her employees to follow her to other institutions. The key to delivering superior service to members, they both said, is creating a positive experience for team members—making them feel that what they do has real impact.
“We’re so proud to have John and Zoar leading our retail teams. These are two leaders who truly get it,” said Brett Slayden, Senior Vice President of Retail Experience. “They're passionate about helping members create brighter financial futures and extend the same care to their teams. Both John and Zoar are inspiring at every level, setting the gold standard for member service and compassionate leadership."
