Timothy W. Spears | 32
Commercial portfolio manager, Busey Bank
Tim Spears’ duties at Busey Bank include managing and monitoring the investment portfolios of many commercial companies’ loans. He also is involved in recruiting new clients. Prior to Busey, Tim was employed at Morton Community Bank.
“Tim is the kind of associate who embodies the true spirit of the Busey promise. He is genuine, knowledgeable, friendly and trustworthy, connecting him to customers and associates alike,” said his Busey supervisor. “Tim personifies so many of our core values and, as a result, is a highly trusted, highly respected and sought-after business partner.”
Tim serves on two city of Peoria commissions – the Tourism Reserve Fund and the Liquor Commission. Among the local events/entities the TRF has financially supported are the Peoria RiverFront Farmers Market, the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex, Ledgestone Disc Golf Tournament, and the Peoria Art Guild’s Fine Art Fair.
While working full time, Tim earned his Master’s degree from the University of Illinois in accounting. In his spare time, he counsels others regarding financial best practices to help them grow their financial portfolios. He has shared his time and talents with Peoria’s Itoo Society, which is committed to aiding Lebanese immigrants and has broadened its mission over the years to support multiple charities, such as the St. Jude Midwest Affiliate.
Advice to your 20-year-old self: “The advice I would give my younger self and any young person would be to view education and learning opportunities as the best investment you can make … Whether seeking a degree or learning in more informal ways such as reading books, finding a mentor, or taking one-off classes, the investment made will be returned tenfold. I would also tell my 20-year-old self to buy Tesla stock.”
‘Caterpillar has done and continues to do such great things for the Peoria area … we need to bring the next Caterpillar-like company to our city.’
Peoria needs: “Caterpillar has done and continues to do such great things for the Peoria area, but we cannot become complacent with just what we have. We need to bring the next Caterpillar-like company to our city. Peoria is centrally located to Chicago, St. Louis and Indianapolis, has an international airport and easy access to highway and rail lines. The infrastructure is already in place. We as a community now need to show the world how great our city is.”
