Rokas received The Washington Center’s Spring 2015 Internship Site Supervisor Award for providing transformational experiences to young leaders.

Hardway, who has more than a decade’s experience in covering sports, was among the first to test the concept of using drone cameras to cover polo with his firm Elevated Media Concepts.

He believes the addition of aerial views could help make the sport easier to follow, more accessible to newcomers and provide greater detail of events transpiring on the field of play. Read more.

State Bank of India-California Vice President Rokas Beresniovas (left), ZH Healthcare CEO Shameem C. Hameed (second left), GreenBrilliance Managing Partner Sumit Bhatnagar, and TechFetch CEO Praba Murugaiah (right) during the panel “Bootstrapping and scaling: growing a business from ground to the top” at the American Bazaar Entrepreneurship Summit on April 25, 2015.

Rokas Beresniovas, Vice President at State Bank of India (California) in Washington DC first appeared on Executive Leaders Radio on March 12, 2015. Executive Leaders Radio is dedicated to honoring individuals who have risen to leadership roles through hard work and dedication. This highly popular radio program shares the stories and wisdom of leaders like Rokas Beresniovas with a diverse listener audience with the goal of helping others achieve the level of success that Rokas Beresniovas has. Listen.

Pasiekimai. Siekiant s?km?s kitoje šalyje svarbiausia yra ne mojuoti mokslo diplomais, bet apsišarvuoti kantrybe, atkaklumu ir bent jau pradžioje – neskai?iuoti darbo valand?.

Karjeros kelias visada sud?tingas – paženklintas nemiegotomis naktimis, ant kuln? nuolat lipan?iais terminais, naujais išš?kiais, stresu, konkurencija, nusivylimais, bet kartu ir saldžiais laim?jimais bei pripažinimu. Dar sud?tingesnis šis kelias tampa, jei tenka juo eiti kitoje šalyje. Vis d?lto, nepaisant sunkum?, vis daugiau lietuvi? ?kopia ? karjeros aukštumas tarptautin?se korporacijose užsienyje – juos matome ir tarptautini? bank? viceprezident? poste, ir žymiausi? pasaulio korporacij? specialist? ar vadov? komandoje. Kas svarbiausia siekiant karjeros užsienyje? Trys žinomose kompanijose JAV dirbantys lietuviai su „Veidu“ pasidalijo savo istorijomis.

Prieš 15 met? ? JAV emigrav?s Rokas Beresniovas šiandien yra Valstybinio Indijos banko viceprezidentas JAV. Didžiausias Indijos bankas prieš dvejus metus pasikviet? lietuv?, kad šis pad?t? atidaryti komercin?s bankininkyst?s biur? Vašingtone. 370 mlrd. JAV doleri? dydžio bankas turi padalini? daugiau nei 40 šali?, ta?iau ? JAV rink? skverb?si labai iš l?to – per trisdešimt veiklos met? buvo atidar?s tik dešimt padalini? Kalifornijoje.

Ir k? gi pavyko nuveikti lietuviui, tapusiam atsakingam už šio banko pl?tr? ir komercin? bankininkyst? Ryt? pakrant?je? „Šis darbas ir buvo didžiausias išš?kis mano karjeroje: lietuvis, gyvenantis JAV ir dirbantis Indijos bankui. Išš?kis ne tik d?l kult?rini? skirtum?, bet ir d?l tekusios užduoties. Azijoje visi žino Valstybin? Indijos bank? – tai 200-uosius metus skai?iuojantis seniausias šio regiono bankas ir didžiausias pasaulyje pagal padalini? skai?i?. Didžiausias išš?kis buvo, kaip š? bank? pristatyti JAV, kad žmon?s suprast?, jog tai toks pat bankas kaip ir visi kiti, ? kur? gali ateiti ir daryti t? pat?. Kaip man sek?si? Pra?jus? ketvirt? buvome pirmasis bankas Vašingtono regione pagal išduotas paskolas smulkiojo verslo eksportui. O iš viso Vašingtono regione veikia daugiau nei 170 skirting? bank?“, – lygina R.Beresniovas.

Š? darb? lietuvis vadina ?domiausia savo ligšioline pozicija, nes ji sunkesn?, pateikusi daugiau išš?ki? ir reikalaujanti daug d?mesio. „Ta?iau kai pats kažk? kuri ir žinai, kad nuo tavo k?rybos ir darbo priklauso kompanijos ateitis, tai labai malonus jausmas“, – pabr?žia R.Beresniovas.

Valstybinis Indijos bankas – jau penktasis bankas JAV, kuriame dirba R.Beresniovas. Prieš tai lietuvis dirbo HSBC viceprezidentu, o dar anks?iau darbavosi „Eagle“ banke, „Wells Fargo“ banke ir „Bank of America“. Tikrai ?sp?dinga darbovie?i? galerija turint omenyje, kad prieš 15 met? ? JAV atvykusio Kauno kolegijos absolvento R.Beresniovo pirmoji darboviet? buvo atrakcion? parkas. Tad kaip vis d?lto jam pavyko atsidurti ten, kur yra dabar?

„Karjeros pradžia anuomet man nepasirod? sunki, bet iš dabartin?s perspektyvos ži?rint atgal atrodo, kad buvo sunku. Kai esi jaunas, ambicingas, t? sunkum? nematai, nes neturi kito pasirinkimo, kaip tik siekti s?km?s. Tas užsispyrimas ir nenor?jimas b?ti komfortiškoje situacijoje man ir pad?jo siekti nauj? dalyk?. Beje, JAV, priešingai nei Azijoje bei Europos šalyse, ? diplomus neži?rima vienpusiškai. Kur kas svarbiau yra mok?jimas bendrauti su žmon?mis bei patirtis. Tam tikra keleri? met? darbo patirtis gali atstoti bakalauro ar magistro išsilavinim?. Manau, kad mok?jimas bendrauti su žmon?mis labiausiai ir prisid?jo prie mano karjeros“, – svarsto R.Beresniovas, JAV studijav?s prekyb?.

Nagrin?jant JAV karjer? padariusi? lietuvi? istorijas ryšk?ja, kad ne mažiau, nei mok?ti bendrauti su žmon?mis, svarbu atkaklumas, kantryb?, didelis atsidavimas darbui ir asmenin?s savyb?s.

R.Beresniovas veiklumu iš bendraamži? išsiskyr? dar mokyklos laikais: savaitgaliais dirbdavo didž?jumi, o dešimtoje klas?je ?sigijo vaizdo kamer? ir prad?jo filmuoti vestuves, krikštynas bei kitas šventes. Jis mano, kad verslumo gyslel? bus paveld?j?s iš t?vo, kuris yra garsus karikat?ristas.

Asmenini? šven?i? filmavimas leido Rokui užsidirbti pinig? pirmajai kelionei ? JAV, apie kuri? prad?jo svajoti dar dešimtoje klas?je. Nuvyk?s pagal „Work and Travel“ program? R.Beresniovas suprato, kad tai ta šalis, kurioje jis nor?t? dirbti. Taigi gr?ž?s ? Lietuv? ilgai neužsibuvo ir netrukus v?l išvyko ? JAV. Pirmiausia teko mokytis angl? kalbos, studijuoti ir imtis papras?iausi? darb? – atrakcion? parke ar kepykloje.

Tiesa, vaikinas, regis, iš kiekvieno pasitaikiusio pasi?lymo sugeb?davo išspausti visk?, kas tik ?manoma: jau po trij? m?nesi? tapo kepyklos vadovu, v?liau kilo vis aukš?iau, kol galiausiai atrankos specialistai pasi?l? darb? Amerikos banke – nuo to ir prasid?jo R.Beresniovo karjera JAV finans? sektoriuje.

Atkaklumo, dr?sos ir kantryb?s prireik? ir 2000 m. ? JAV atvykusiai lietuvei Ingridai Misevi?ienei, šiuo metu dirban?iai vienos žinomiausi? pasaulyje korporacij? – „Adidas“ b?stin?je Portlande. ? „Adidas“ jai pavyko patekti tik po daugiau nei pus?s met? pastang?, nors buvo baigusi VU Ekonomikos fakultet? bei ?gijusi MBA diplom? JAV. Per vienuolika darbo met? „Adidas“ firmoje ji užkop? penkiais karjeros laipteliais, o jos alga patrigub?jo. Read more.

February 27, 2015

By Raif Karerat

State Bank of India (California) East Coast Leadership: Ranvir Singh (left), Vice President & Manager of the Washington, DC, branch, with Rokas Beresniovas.

WASHINGTON, DC: State Bank of India (California) is the only subsidiary in the United States of an Indian bank. Started more than three decades ago, it has branches in California and Washington, DC. Rokas Beresniovas is a Vice President, who is in charge of implementing strategic business plan for SBIC’s DC market expansion. In a recent interview, he spoke to The American Bazaar about the bank’s operations, lending and clientele, among other topics.

In recent years, SBI California has expanded its operations in the Washington, DC area. Could you tell us about your business in this region? What are your core areas in DC, as well as in California?

SBIC was established in 1982. SBIC is a fully owned subsidiary of State Bank of India, one of the largest banks in the world and a Fortune 500 company, with controlling ownership by the government of India. We opened our doors in Washington, DC, in 2009. The DC office offers personal banking, as well as commercial banking. Most people see the name and assume we’re focused on businesses or customers that have banking needs related to India. However, we’re a full service bank that serves all kinds of business and personal needs. For personal banking, we offer checking, savings, and money market accounts. We also offer CDs and remittance services to India (without fees for customers). On the commercial side, we offer trade finance and commercial loans, including SBA loans.

You are also lending money to local start-ups. What is the average size of a loan?

The size of the loans usually varies based on the company’s needs. One of the most recent loans was for $250,000. The business created 30 local jobs in Washington, DC. However, we have done loans from $50,000 to $300,000 generally. It depends on the company and experience. We’re committed to developing the DC market and start-ups are especially important for this.

Is there any other segment that you are targeting?

We provide services that are competitive with other banks in the area. This means we have a diverse clientele of businesses and financial needs. We do real estate loans, start-up companies, business purchases, lines of credit, and working capital loans. The hospitality industry is a big one in DC, and so is investment real estate. But we’ve also had educational ventures, retail, and healthcare as well. For the Indian diaspora business community, we can also leverage assets in India, in order to help their businesses in US to expand.

What percentage of your clients is Indian and Indian American?

We do have a large clientele that’s of Indian descent, but the other half of our business does not necessarily have ties to India. They come to us for our competitiveness in the financial arena.

What motivation do non-Indians have to bank with your institution?

We’re a bank with a competitive record. In DC, SBIC Export Finance in the first quarter of 2015 was ranked first in the area. We were also listed in 21st place out of over a hundred banks for SBA lending in the Washington, DC market. Many international financial corporations started within a certain regional or national market, but the world is too globalized to rely on this model now. Banking serves a vast global network of clients.

The DC branch is the only one outside of California. Have you considered starting branches in other states? Do have any expansion plans nationally?

We see great expansion potential in the US. We’re looking to expand in the near future. The East Coast has a lot of trade and banking options.

What are the greatest challenges of establishing an Indian bank in the United States?

I personally think the greatest challenge is that, like any other nationally linked bank, people get confused as to why there is an Indian bank in the US. People assume we only service Indian clients or that we’re only working with institutions like the World Bank. We’re a community bank with a full range of banking services.

There is a huge competition among banks and financial institutions specializing in remittance in the remittance business. How big is your remittance business?

There is competition for remittances, but a lot of the services are online. For SBIC remittances, we offer personal service and encourage people to come into the office or call us personally. We also serve the local community, so they get to know us and the bank on a personal level. For our clients, we also offer remittances with no fees. About 1/3rd of the bank business is remittances.

Read More.

    Creating a culture that fuels repeatable success

 Innovation is everyone’s responsibility, not just R&D’s. – Albert Einstein

Everyone’s found themselves in the middle of a pointless meeting or on the end of a conversation that’s going nowhere. And while there’s little you can do in those instances, you can prevent yourself from being the one who wastes other people’s time in the future.

“We’ve all been there: meetings that were anything but productive with contacts we’ll probably never call again,” says Rokas Beresniovas, vice president at the State Bank of India, in a recent LinkedIn post. But instead of walking away feeling discouraged, Beresniovas says he takes note of what went wrong so he can avoid it the next time.