“Early in my career, I focused on building technical expertise. What I’ve learned is that your reputation is your greatest asset. Trust is earned by doing what you say you’ll do, and that’s how I’ve tried to lead throughout my career.”
Jaime Caruso has spent more than 20 years building lender finance platforms at CapitalSource, Pacific Western Bank and now EverBank, where she serves as managing director and head of lender finance within the bank’s asset-backed finance business. Since launching EverBank’s lender finance platform, Caruso has assembled a talented team providing receivables-backed financing solutions to specialty finance companies, nonbank lenders and alternative asset managers, building a portfolio of more than 17 transactions and nearly $1.5 billion in commitments.
Joining CapitalSource’s lender finance group was a defining early-career moment for Caruso. After beginning in accounting and risk management, she discovered lender finance and gravitated toward the field, which combined her skills in financial analysis with a desire to engage more directly with clients. As a lender, she found that she enjoyed partnering with clients to understand their businesses, solve financing challenges and structure asset-backed financings that support growth.
Helping build EverBank’s lender finance plat- form from the ground up has been the most rewarding experience of Caruso’s career. Her greatest validation is seeing long-time clients choose to partner with EverBank because of the relationships she has built. After two decades, she remains energized by working across diverse consumer and commercial receivables asset classes and helping businesses grow.
Caruso believes people do their best when they have clear direction, honest feedback and confidence that their leader will support them. Her advice to women entering financial services is simple: Don’t wait until you feel completely ready. Some of her greatest growth came from taking on challenges outside her comfort zone. She also encourages young professionals to invest in their reputations early, recognizing that trust, credibility and consistency create opportunities throughout a career.
