Vice President, Head of Internal Audit, PeoplesBank: Age 38
Tori Thompson
Tori Thompson calls her role “the third line of defense for our bank.”
Management is the first, setting controls and policies, while the second line comprises risk and compliance, she explained. Internal audit is the third line of defense, examining the controls the bank has in place. And it’s important work.
“Her business acumen has resulted in our having successful audits and examinations, without any major findings, from a very wide variety of state compliance and regulatory agencies,” said PeoplesBank President Brian Canina, who recruited Thompson based on their prior tenures at Wolf & Co., an accounting firm in Springfield.
“I got my foot in the door there because we did a lot of financial audit statements for banks,” she explained. “It was like Banking 101; I got to see the inner working of banks.”
Thompson was selected in December as Volunteer of the Month from among 325 PeoplesBank colleagues — a notable achievement at an institution that prioritizes civic engagement.
“They’re very supportive of everyone taking time out of their day to help the community around us, and I’m proud to be part of a company that’s supportive of that,” she said.
For example, as board treasurer for the Hitchcock Center for the Environment since 2019, she chairs the finance committee and serves on the executive committee.
“Their mission is to foster environmental awareness and environmental awareness through educational programs,” she said. “They live and breathe sustainability every day and do work every day to help the community.”
Rhea Banker, president of the Hitchcock Center, noted that Thompson has “led the board and staff in working together with vital information about best working practices. In addition, she was at the forefront of redefining our investment practices, helping to sustain our critical climate education moving into the future.”
Thompson — whose family includes husband Devon and children Carter, Liam, and Ellery — has also volunteered with the Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts Teen Reality Fair, Revitalize CDC’s #GreenNFit builds, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts, Safe Passage, Girls Inc. of the Valley, Valley Educational Associates, the United Way of Hampshire County, and Gateway Youth Athletic Assoc., where she serves as board secretary.
“That’s an all-volunteer group of parents who get together, offer sports programs, and promote physical activity and teamwork among everyone,” she explained. “We want to get the kids away from screen time, active, and out in nature as much as possible.”
—Joseph Bednar
