SHAZA ANDERSEN

Shaza Andersen could have opted for early retirement in 2017 when the first bank she founded, WashingtonFirst Bank, was acquired by Sandy Spring Bank. But her work wasn’t finished and, along with former colleagues, she founded Fairfax County-based Trustar Bank, which opened for business in 2019.

Success this time around has been “very rewarding,” Andersen says, because Trustar differentiates itself by offering highly personalized service, responsiveness and a willingness to tailor products to customers’ unique needs. “I feel that banking is a way for you to help people.” 

Helping people has been a theme throughout Andersen’s career. She became interested in banking in college while working as a teller and customer service representative. While the COVID pandemic presented one of the best opportunities to step up and make a difference in customers’ lives, helping people in everyday ways is what gets her up each day. “That’s what I enjoy and work towards, making a difference and making an impact.”

That goes beyond banking for Andersen, who says she’s most proud of the nonprofit she founded, Trustar Youth Foundation, and its impact on the greater Washington, D.C., community. But it’s her role at home that’s always been Andersen’s top priority.

“When my kids were little, people would always ask me, ‘How do you balance a high-stress job with kids and family?’” she recalls. “It’s never a balance; the kids and family will always come first.”

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