In this week’s Fellow Spotlight, we are checking in with Roy Yewah. He fills us in on what he enjoys most about living in the city, and his host company, the Crestmark Bank!

Roy, tell us about your move to Detroit?

My move to Detroit was tiring and nerve racking, yet exciting.  I moved to my Detroit home on the riverfront in mid- August, the anticipation that I had built up for this date was unreal.  It was going to be my first year out of college, in the biggest metropolitan city I’ve ever lived in, I would be starting my career in the finance/business world that I enjoy, and I would be a participant of one of the nation’s most influential fellowship programs.  Growing up in East Lansing, Michigan (middle of the state) and attending Okemos schools, I had experienced the rather typical suburban life, but I knew I wanted more.  Deciding to attend the private liberal arts school of Kalamazoo College (on the west side of the state) was a decision that would eventually open my eyes to many different topics that were foreign to me back at home.  My four years at Kalamazoo College helped shape me into the young man I’ve become today, and really widened my perspective on outside topics such as issues in urban economics.  But, after college when I got accepted into the Challenge Detroit fellowship and decided to explore the east side of the state, the different cultures and experiences I’m faced with help mold me even further.

What do you enjoy most about living, working, playing, giving, and leading in Detroit?

What I enjoy most about the five program pillars: living, working, playing, giving, and leading in Detroit is that they’re all aspects that help shape a person holistically.  In order to be a fellow you can’t do one without the other, and this fellowship has really helped engrain that into my life.  Living here is great- there’s always something to do (even with the record breaking winter we had), and more importantly the diversity in this city is huge, people are coming from all walks of life here.  Working with the non-profits here has been an experience I don’t think I would’ve endured had I not been in this fellowship.  To do rewarding work for non-profits that are trying to do good things for this city brings a smile to my face every time, because seeing the impact our work has is priceless.  I play here as much as I can.  The limitless amounts of activities to do around the city and region are everything young professionals could ask for to release some steam.  From the recreational leagues and city events to the bars/restaurants, clubs, and markets, Detroit has a little bit of everything for people to enjoy.

Tell us about your host company, and what you do?

My wonderful host company is Crestmark Bank, a commercial bank head quartered in Troy.  I am doing a financial rotational program with them, where I get to learn from different departments within the bank to get a more holistic understanding of what they do and where I see myself fitting in the most.  Lately, I’ve been working with the auditing department and am a field examiner where I do exterior audits for our clients, but I’ve also done auditing on potential clients who are looking to choose us for their financing.  The exposure to how the businesses operates and knowledge I am gaining from this company are something that I think is key to my professional career growth.

What makes working at Crestmark Bank unique?

Being an entrepreneurial enthusiast, the bank opens my eyes to the different types of businesses out there and the nitty gritty details of what it takes to be an entrepreneur, in which I am very thankful for the opportunity.  Crestmark is unique because their “we help” mentality and “open door” policy creates one of the best work environments I’ve ever experienced.  Not only are their customers satisfied, but they’re leaving traditional big banks and spreading the good news to other small-medium size business owners.

What is your favorite part of the Challenges?

My favorite part about the challenges has got to be the connections and people I get to meet along the way.  Where can you find  31 people who are all smart, driven, down-to-earth, innovative thinkers and from all different backgrounds in the same room working to improve non-profits in one of the nation’s most influential cities? Nowhere but Challenge Detroit.  Yea, sure, every now and then intelligent people butt heads because everyone thinks they’re right about everything, but overall we all understand the big picture and are willing to put aside our egos for the bettering of Detroit.

What are you most looking forward to in Detroit?

What I am looking most forward to is the summer in Detroit!  With so many festivals, concerts, and activities coming up I can’t wait to enjoy them all.  Warm weather will also lead to construction and renovation all around the city.  The restructuring and boom in industry of the city are what I am looking forward to as well.

Check out Roy’s personal blog here, and his spotlight video below.