Heather Loranger

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Age: 34

Title at work/what I do: Vice President, private banker with United Bank, which means my functional role is relationship management and business development. My job takes me out of the traditional office setting, allowing me to show the bank's overwhelming support of the communities we serve while building relationships with individuals and companies looking for a first-class bank like United to meet their financial goals. I introduce potential new customers to our bank and the top-notch bankers we have on the United Team to see how we can help them succeed financially.

Town I work in: Glastonbury

Town I live in: Glastonbury

College I attended: Fashion Institute of Technology

My passion, hobby or special talent: I'm passionate about my job and being personally and professionally involved with the community. I enjoy being around friends and family that make me laugh so hard that I cry. I love the sun, beach, and traveling to new places.

Twitter handle: @Heatherlee594

No. of LinkedIn connections: 1,000

Favorite place to network: Everywhere I go and everyone I talk to is always an opportunity to meet and help people.

Favorite drink at a networking event: Water or vodka/soda/lime

How do I create connections in my professional life?

Staying active in the Greater Hartford community through my personal support of local nonprofits as well as my professional role in demonstrating United Bank's unwavering commitment to the communities we serve. Like any great sales person, you need to have the energy and courage to get out there, introduce yourself to people you don't know and maintain the kind of relationships with customers that are genuine and sincere.

What's been my biggest challenge professionally?

Maintaining a work-life balance. The work hours I invest in my job most of the time are not 9 to 5. Much of what I do in terms of building and managing relationships with our existing and potential new customers requires me to work after hours, attending wonderful community events, worthwhile fundraisers, and business dinners that only happen after normal work hours. This challenges me every day to maintain a positive, healthy work-life balance.

What is the best advice I ever received?

Every failure has an equally great upside if you're willing to stay in the game. You have to keep trying things; it's OK if you fail as long as you keep landing on your feet. The biggest failure is not trying at all and not getting right back up, learning from it and moving forward.

What do I want my legacy to be?

That's a difficult question to answer. After all, like so many others who receive this special honor, we are still early in our careers while some are just getting started. As a historian would probably tell you: Let history define your legacy!

Check out the other 40 Under Forty for 2014 winners

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