She’s a classically-trained ballet dancer and a classically-trained bassoonist…she never had a gym class or study hall or a summer off and stayed after school every day to practice…has performed at the Academy of Music…regrets not learning Italian as a child...and has a special affection for the date of May 7th.
  Denise Kassekert is also a grandmother...the oldest of seven—all of whom live within 10 miles of their parents’ home in Cherry Hill…told her sister that she had ‘met my dreamboat’ after her first encounter with eventual husband Craig at Camden County College…and took 10 years off to have her own children.
  And she is Beneficial Bank’s Executive Vice President of Relationship Banking. Which means that she oversees operations of the 68 branches in the growing Beneficial network and is responsible for roughly 80% of the bank’s almost 900 employees.
  While her job demands that she focus on core deposits, business development and customer service, the 58-year old Kassekert also oversees profit and loss responsibility, the Beneficial call center, manages the bank’s real estate portfolio, and leads the facilities management team.
  She’s been at Beneficial for two years and is excited by the opportunity to work with Beneficial’s visionary CEO Gerry Cuddy.
  “Under Gerry’s leadership we’re literally changing the landscape of banking. We’re going to be the place where education and banking come together…and we’re going to leave our customers a legacy of financial empowerment,” enthuses Kassekert.
  “We have a genuine difference in philosophy from other banks. We don’t push product (Beneficial does not sell credit cards—only debit cards and does not make subprime mortages).
  Kassekert credits her upbringing in an ”entrepreneurial” home and the influence of her tailor father Earnest and stay-at-home mother Diane for her values.
  “My parents are both 80 years old and are my dearest friends. They’re both first generation Americans whose parents emigrated from Italy and my father still goes to work three days a week at the family business on South 5th Street in Philadelphia.”
  Growing up, Kassekert starting training at the age of 3 with ballet guru Florence Cowanova and admits that to this day “I can never not think about dance.”
  In the 8th grade, the J.W. Hallahan student added the bassoon to her repertoire and began lessons with Philadelphia Orchestra bassoonist Ferdinand Del Nigro.
  “It was wonderful…I got to meet Eugene Ormandy…and perform at the Academy of Music,” recalls Kassekert. But all that training came at a price. “I never had a gym class or study hall or a summer off…I only had half a lunch period and I stayed after school every day to practice.”
  Kassekert, who lives in Riverton, and her five brothers and one sister all live within a 10-mile radius of their parents’ house in Cherry Hill.
  Married for 34 years to commodities trader Craig Kassekert, she says “I knew the moment I saw him that he was the one. To this day, my sister still reminds me of how I said I had ‘met my dreamboat’ back when we first met at Camden County College.”
  Son Rob, 29, is sales consultant for Cintas and Kassekert counts being present when daughter-in-law Cate gave birth to her first child, Caleb, eight months ago as the event that created the most significant emotional reaction in her life during the past year.
  Second son Colin, 25, is a musician/composer/songwriter, who coincidentally wrote and performs Beneficial’s theme, Starting New.
  Daughter Alexandra, 18, is graduating from Bishop Eustace and headed to St. Joe’s in Philadelphia to major in psychology.
  After graduating from Camden County College in 1971, Kassekert’s first “real job” was with First Pennsylvania Bank where she worked in statement spreading. Over the next 28 years, she held executive positions with Commerce Bank for 14 years and with Sun Bank before joining Beneficial in 2007—with a 10-year time out to have her children.
  Her start date at Beneficial was May 7th, which also happens to be the date her parents were married and her husband’s birthday, as well as the date of her daughter’s First Holy Communion.
  She’s a graduate of the Center for Creative Leadership’s program “Developing the Strategic Leader” and cites the experience in Colorado Springs as “one of the most profound experiences professionally in my entire career.”
  Business philosophy:
  Help people do well in their lives and do the right thing financially. The journey might not always be a straight line, but if you do what’s right, the right outcome will occur.
  Personal motto:
  Do what’s right. If you set your sight on something and stay the course, you can make anything happen.
  Measure of success:
  How good I feel about what I’m doing. If you do what’s right, you will feel good about the outcome. This will also lead financial success.
  Toughest decision:
  Returning to the workforce after a 10-year break to have my children.
  Mentor:
  The most significant was a former boss, who has since become a dear friend. He took interest in me early on in my career and taught me a tremendous amount about professionalism, work ethic and leadership. He always listened to me and was very encouraging, but, most important, his honesty was incredible.
  Most important lesson learned:
  Not to let other people’s influence take you off your course. Remain focused on what you want to accomplish and don’t let other people sideline you.
  Honor or award most proud of:
  Receiving the Pioneer of the Year Award from the South Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners as part of their Beyond the Glass Ceiling Awards in 2008.
  Self-description (five or fewer words):
  Passionate, intense, energetic and determined.
  Favorite thing to do:
  Cook for my family on Sundays.
  If you had a “do-over,” what it would be:
  I would have embraced my heritage as a child and learned Italian as a second language when I was younger. I wish I had taken advantage of the opportunity when I had the chance.
  Hobbies/avocations:
  Biking, walking, yoga and cooking.
  Favorite book, movie, and TV show:
  Book: The Great Gatsby
  Movie: Out of Africa
  Summer jobs:
  When I was younger, I worked two summer jobs in Margate, NJ where my family always rented a house. I worked in a deli during the day making cheesesteaks and hoagies and I worked as a waitress at night.
  What you do to relax:
  I love to read and watch old films (when I have time to relax!)
  Favorite vacation/vacation spot:
  Longport, New Jersey. I have been vacationing there since I was 12 and am lucky to own a home there.
  Personal extravagances:
  I’m not a very extravagant person, but tried to treat myself to a once-a-week massage not too long ago. That lasted for about three weeks and then I went back to being my non-extravagant self.
  If you could do one thing to change South Jersey, what would it be?
  South Jersey has tremendous potential to be a hub where people can improve their financial futures. If I could change one thing about South Jersey, I would help educate South Jersey residents about fiscal responsibility so they can improve their lives.