Kara Trebs
EVP, Chief Human Capital Officer
Kara Trebs is the EVP, Chief Human Capital Officer at Sunwest Bank. Ms. Trebs joined Sunwest in early 2016 and held positions as AVP, Corporate Recruiter, and SVP, Director of Human Capital. In her current role, Ms. Trebs oversees people strategy to ensure alignment with corporate and company objectives. She develops a curriculum for management advancement and manages a Total Rewards program inclusive of benefits, financial wellness, and retirement planning.
Over the past 15 years, she has had various HR roles within the retail and financial services industries for companies such as Nordstrom and Boot Barn. Ms. Trebs has had an instrumental hand in the exponential growth of Sunwest Bank. Her unique skillset allowed her to leverage her HR experience to build the bank’s new competitive Health Savings Account platform SelfcareHSA.
Ms. Trebs’ progressive approach to leadership focuses on the empty chair philosophy and believes management is more effective when engaging with their team within their own environment. Ms. Trebs serves as a mentor and coach to the executive team at Sunwest and finds this role her most gratifying.
Outside of her work with Sunwest Bank, Ms. Trebs has served on various boards and non-profits, such as Tilly’s Life Center, OC Rescue Mission, National Human Resources Association, and as a mentor for the California State University system. Ms. Trebs graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Human Resources Management Certification and is currently enrolled in Pacific Coast Banking School.