From a young age, Susana Salamun has been making waves in the world of business. Salamun, a familiar face in the Roaring Fork Valley through her work with Alpine Bank, was recently recognized in the Denver Business Journal’s 2024 Class of 40 Under 40. The award celebrates young professionals in Denver who are making an impact in their communities through their work in the field of business.
Now living in the Front Range, Salamun works tirelessly to help others reach their highest potential as the director of staff development at Alpine Bank, but her work does not stop there. She is part of the Latino Community Foundation of Colorado, Minority Business Office Advisory Council and the Colorado Bankers Association (CBA), where she first met Jenifer Waller, CEO and president of CBA, who nominated Salamun for the award.
Waller initiated the nomination after CBA included Salamun in their magazine, where she shared her story of moving from Mexico to the United States and overcoming cultural challenges and learning a new language. At that time, Salamun was joining the banking industry and working to help underserved and minority communities with access to banking and financial literacy.
“I never imagined that sharing my story for a bankers magazine with CBA would eventually translate into a nomination for a 40 Under 40 award with the Denver Business Journal,” Salamun said. “I think it was a continuation of my story that I was telling, it was the next step. That made me feel very appreciated, honored and very grateful.”
As a little girl in Mexico, Salamun dreamed of having her own clothing store or hair salon. As a teenager, Salamun began turning her dreams of having a business into a reality by making handmade jewelry and selling it to her friends. During the summers, she would bake pastries and sell them to local businesses in her hometown. Since childhood, Salamun has always had an entrepreneurial spirit.
“Now that I’m in the banking industry, I still use that entrepreneurial spirit to create programs that help our [Alpine Bank] employees and our customers,” Salamun said.
As she celebrates the 40 Under 40 award, she remembers her arrival to the United States.
“I think that initial change that I had in my life, of moving countries and having to learn another language and having to adopt a new system, it allowed me to build the skills that I needed to be successful for the rest of my career, and for the rest of other opportunities and challenges that I was going to have along the way,” Salamun said.
With Salamun’s experience, she makes an effort to play an active role in her community and acknowledges that being a part of various organizations allows her to help even more by being able to speak on behalf of the businesses and communities that need assistance. Through her own experiences and interactions with people, whether it’s at Alpine Bank or on one of the boards on which Salamun serves, she is able to think of new ways to help people.
“That has allowed me to voice these needs and bring these matters to the table, so that we can collaboratively work with other entities and other people to try to bring change, and help the most vulnerable in our communities,” Salamun said.
For Salamun, receiving the award has made her feel appreciated. She wants to continue giving back to her community and supporting those who need it most through her work.
“Twelve years ago, when I moved to the United States, I would have never imagined that 12 years later I would be receiving this award. I feel almost in shock and disbelief, but very excited and grateful for this opportunity,” Salamun said.
She encourages others to not give up and to trust in the journey more than the destination.
“Challenges will turn into opportunities that will turn into rewards. That is something that has been my north star and that I would encourage people to always remember,” Salamun concluded.