True leadership goes beyond making decisions—it’s about setting a vision, executing with precision and building a foundation for long-term success. In the advancing world of financial services, scaling a company requires more than just strategic planning; it demands a deep understanding of risk and opportunity, a relentless focus on operational efficiency, and sheer commitment to relationship-based, customer-centric solutions.

As President and Chief Operating Officer of Lendmark Financial Services, Bret Hyler is the driving force behind the company’s operational success, steering it through rapid expansion while maintaining financial discipline and service excellence.

With a career built on optimizing business performance and accelerating growth, Bret Hyler leads Lendmark with a clear mandate: to expand market share, enhance operational efficiencies, and drive sustainable profitability. His leadership has played a pivotal role in scaling Lendmark’s loan portfolio, streamlining risk management processes, and integrating cutting-edge technology while maintaining a positive, customer-centric experience centered upon strong relationships with those they serve.

Bret isn’t a leader who operates from the sidelines. He thrives in high-stakes environments, ensuring that Lendmark’s expansion strategy is backed by financial rigor, operational excellence, and a keen eye on market trends. Whether overseeing new market entries, refining credit policies, or ensuring regulatory compliance, he remains laser-focused on delivering measurable results.

Under his leadership, Lendmark has strengthened its competitive position in consumer lending, adapting to economic shifts while maintaining its proprietary leadership model known as ‘LEND’: Loyal, Engaging, Nurturing, Decisive. His ability to balance innovation with disciplined execution has made him a driving force behind Lendmark’s continued success.

Leader Driven by People, Passion and Performance

Bret’s journey began straight out of college when he joined Lendmark through a branch management training program. Now, as he approaches his 20th year with the organization, his passion for its mission and people remains as strong as ever. From the very start, it was the people who drew him in—he connected deeply with the individual who hired him, recognizing a unique approach that set the organization apart. That experience has remained true to him throughout his career, shaping his leadership philosophy and approach to teamwork.

Bret considers himself an integrated servant leader, one who thrives on diversity in thought, background, and perspective. He gravitates toward strong-willed individuals—those who stand firm in their beliefs and aren’t afraid to engage in open, spirited discussions, even when disagreements arise. He values the richness of differing viewpoints and sees debate as a catalyst for growth.

At the heart of his leadership is a desire to create meaningful impact. For Bret, success isn’t just about hitting targets; it’s about knowing he has provided real value to those he serves. Helping others find fulfillment, taking on greater responsibilities, and reaching new heights in their careers is what truly excites him.

A competitor at heart, Bret’s drive stems from years of playing baseball and excelling in school. This competitive nature translates seamlessly into his professional environment, where tangible results often measure success. At Lendmark, he has embraced a mindset that helps to foster a culture of ambition, excellence, and continuous improvement. Under his leadership, the organization has thrived, and the journey continues to be one of growth, challenge, and achievement.

Journey of Leadership

For Bret, one of the most rewarding aspects of his journey has been witnessing both personal and organizational growth unfold in diverse aspects. Starting his career straight out of college and rising through the ranks to a leadership position, he has had the privilege of not only contributing to the company’s success but also seeing colleagues flourish alongside it.

Meeting new team members, watching them develop within the organization, and seeing long-time colleagues achieve new milestones in their careers have been a source of deep fulfilment. Knowing that he has played a role—whether through mentorship, leadership, or simply by fostering an environment where growth is possible—makes his work all the more meaningful.

About five years ago, during a pivotal conversation with Founder and CEO Bobby Aiken, Bret reflected on the company’s evolution. As the executive team discussed the organization’s path forward, he realized that the core values and experiences that shaped his early years with the company had remained constant. Nothing had to be fundamentally changed—because the culture of growth, leadership, and excellence had always been there.

Beyond internal development, expanding into new markets has been another major highlight. Serving new communities as a best-in-class lender, delivering exceptional customer service, and setting the standard in the industry has been an incredibly rewarding journey. Looking ahead, Bret Hyler  sees limitless opportunities for continued expansion and innovation, with ample white space for the company to grow and make an even greater impact.

Foundation of Servant Leadership

From the moment he stepped into the interview process, Bret Hyler sensed that there was something different about the organization—something that wasn’t yet codified in a formal framework but was deeply ingrained in its culture. It wasn’t just the company itself; it was the person sitting across from him during that interview, the way they approached leadership, and the values they embodied. That distinction wasn’t something spoken—it was something that existed in the DNA of the organization.

That same philosophy has shaped the way the company operates today, influencing every interaction, whether it’s with a customer facing financial distress, a vendor in the midst of negotiation, or employees navigating both successes and challenges. In every situation, the guiding principle remains: How would we want to be treated if we were on the other side of the conversation?

For Bret Hyler, leadership isn’t about authority—it’s about grace, humility, and the ability to see through the lens of others. This “others-first” mindset is the foundation of the company’s ‘LEND’ core values, which are rooted in servant leadership. It’s not just a strategy—it’s a commitment to ensuring that every interaction, whether easy or difficult, is handled with empathy and integrity.

Leading with Heart

For Bret Hyler, leadership is not just about strategy, technical skills, or analytics—it’s about people. While business operations can be highly technical, and lending may seem like a commodity, the reality is that emotions and relationships are deeply tied to both. A loan is just a product until someone truly needs it. Similarly, leadership isn’t just about processes and functions—it’s about human connection.

Balancing passion with rational thinking has been key to his approach. While expressing belief in a vision is crucial, true leadership also requires emotional intelligence—the ability to listen, understand, and connect on a deeper level. At Lendmark, this principle is embedded in the company’s culture, ensuring that values aren’t just statements on a wall but are actively lived out every day.

Bret has played a vital role in fostering a “people-first” culture by ensuring that leadership is not just about making decisions but about building relationships. He believes that the most meaningful conversations—the ones that shape careers and create lasting impact—aren’t about policies or metrics; they’re about two human beings with emotions and unique backgrounds finding common ground. This commitment to authenticity and servant leadership has ensured that Lendmark’s values are more than words—they are the foundation of how business is done.

People-First Approach

For Bret, leadership isn’t confined to boardrooms or conference calls—it thrives in connection, community, and culture. Whether it’s welcoming colleagues into his office, traveling coast to coast to meet frontline employees, or co-hosting town halls with the company’s founder and CEO, he believes that leadership is best measured by how well people are supported and empowered.

At Lendmark, this philosophy isn’t just an idea—it’s woven into the very fabric of the company. Each year, all people leaders from across the country gather in Atlanta for a multi-day Leadership Conference, a best-in-class event designed not just to discuss numbers but to reinforce the company’s culture, values, and people-first leadership. In one particularly memorable year, the entire conference intentionally avoided financial metrics altogether, focusing solely on leadership, organizational identity, and the belief that a strong culture naturally drives results.

This approach sets Lendmark apart. For colleagues, it means an environment where professional growth is nurtured. For customers, it means a relationship-driven approach that acknowledges the emotions tied to financial decisions. For communities, it means a company that doesn’t just do business but actively invests in making a meaningful impact. At its core, Lendmark’s success isn’t just about lending—it’s about leadership, trust, and putting people first every step of the way.

Leading with Heart

Lendmark’s growth story isn’t just about expansion—it’s about preserving the very culture that made the company special in the first place. Bret believes that many businesses start with a strong people-first mentality but lose their soul as they scale, replacing personal connections with numbers and processes. That’s why, at Lendmark, every effort is made to ensure that the company never forgets what truly matters: the people behind the business.

A perfect example of this is the company’s approach to identity. While many organizations rely on employee and branch numbers to track their workforce, at Lendmark, colleagues and locations are known by name. Bret himself has an employee ID, but he has no idea what it is—because he’s always just been Bret. It’s a small but powerful testament to the way the company operates, prioritizing relationships over bureaucracy and ensuring that every colleague, customer, and community partner feels valued.

This philosophy extends beyond internal culture to the way Lendmark approaches its customers. While the lending industry is often dominated by pure analytics and technical efficiencies, Lendmark stands out by balancing data-driven decision-making with genuine human care. Bret and his team recognize that lending isn’t just about numbers—it’s about life-changing financial moments for individuals and families.

Leading with both the head and the heart, Lendmark differentiates its business by replacing the transactional relationships typical of most financial service companies with genuine, caring connections to ensure its customers truly thrive.

This commitment to people also drives Lendmark’s impressive philanthropic efforts. Giving back to the 500+ communities where its customers and employees live and work isn’t just a corporate initiative—it’s a core part of the company’s DNA, reinforcing its belief that success is measured not just in revenue but in tangible impact and lives changed.

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