8.8.25 - Saying Goodbye to Our Summer Fridays — Eileen, Kaia, and Flora

Summer Fridays have a way of sneaking by faster than you expect. One moment, you’re welcoming a group of bright-eyed interns to TASI Bank; the next, you’re watching them pack up their desks, wrap up their final projects, and head back to campus with a few more tools in their toolkit (and hopefully a few Maverick habits in their back pocket).

This year’s Summer Fridays crew — Eileen Santillano, Kaia Weirlangt, and Flora Balme  — brought curiosity, energy, and fresh perspectives to three very different corners of TASI Bank. 

Eileen Santillano — Operations

Eileen, from UC Santa Cruz, dove into Operations — the heartbeat of the bank’s day-to-day activity. From compliance tasks to internal process reviews, she quickly learned how even the smallest operational detail can make a big difference.

“Operations taught me that efficiency isn’t just about speed — it’s about making sure every step is done right the first time,” Eileen reflected. “That’s what keeps everything moving smoothly for the whole bank.”

Her entrepreneurial mindset and eye for efficiency brought fresh thinking to a team that thrives on precision, and her ability to blend creativity with structure made her stand out from day one.

Kaia Weirlangt — Credit Administration

Kaia, a University of Michigan student, spent her internship deep in the world of Credit Administration — analyzing documentation, monitoring loan files, and learning how risk management works in the real world. Her process-driven approach and Excel wizardry helped the team work smarter, not harder (except when Excel decided to have “a moment,” but she handled those crashes like a pro).

“Credit Administration showed me how much precision and patience it takes to protect the bank and the client,” Kaia said. “It’s like putting together a puzzle where every single piece matters.”

Her methodical mindset and quick adaptability proved invaluable — especially in a department where accuracy is the name of the game. 

Flora Balme — Loan Support & Servicing

Flora joined us from the University of Denver with a passion for ethical finance and community development. In Loan Support and Servicing, she got a firsthand look at the moving parts behind every loan — from onboarding to payoff — and how accuracy, timing, and client service all come together to keep the engine running.

“I never realized how many people and processes work behind the scenes to make a loan happen,” Flora shared. “It’s not just paperwork — it’s about making sure clients feel supported from start to finish.”

Flora’s knack for detail and her ability to see the bigger picture made her a natural fit in this area, and her people-first perspective reminded us why we do what we do. 

More Than a Summer Job

From loan support to credit analysis to operations, each of these women made a real impact. They asked the right questions, took on challenges, and learned how banking is about more than numbers — it’s about people, relationships, and trust.

They also learned a few unofficial lessons along the way — like the finer points of bankers’ hours, the art of the golf outing, and why “putting in the work” sometimes involves an actual putter.

We’ve featured Flora, Kaia, and Eileen in individual Summer Fridays blog posts over the past few months, and each story has shown the same truth: the future of banking is in good hands.

As they head back to their universities, we hope they take with them not just the skills they’ve gained, but the confidence that they belong in any room, at any table, and on any course — whether that’s in the boardroom or on the back nine.

Thank you, Flora, Kaia, and Eileen. You’ve left your mark at TASI Bank, and we’ll be cheering you on long after summer fades.