Meet the People at Sterling: Scott Visbeek

When he’s not working with clients for Sterling Associates, Scott Visbeek can usually be found at a football field, on a baseball diamond or in a gymnasium. “I coach youth football, baseball and basketball,” says Visbeek, 47, and a father of three boys. “It’s something I do probably 365 days a year. I’m at some kind of practice or game four to five times a week.”

As a coach of young boys, Visbeek exposes teamwork and respecting the small things. He sees his role at vice-president of underwriting at Sterling the same way.

“I want the kids to learn how to be part of a team, have fun and learn some life lessons along the way,” he says. “My job as an underwriter is similar in that you have to pay attention to the details and to create relationships. We have 16 to 17 lenders, with long-term relationships, and that’s what sustains us more than anything. I can call any of the banks and talk to them. I don’t have to email back and forth. I can just pick up the phone and have that 1-on-1 contact and work through things.”

Visbeek has been in the financial services industry since graduating from Westfield State, arriving at Sterling in 2002. He grew up in Whitinsville and today lives three miles from Sterling’s home office. He and his wife, Sarah, are the parents of Caleb, 16, Tim, 13 and Matthew, 12. He says his hobby is coaching. “If I could be on a field every day, that’s what I would do,” he says. “Sports was a passion growing up, and now I enjoy teaching kids the game.”

He believes that his ability to communicate is vital to success with Sterling, where he has earned the trust of banks through the years.

“I tell it like it is and the banks respect that,” he says. “We have that trust in each other. By developing these relationships, our clients are often able to secure the financing they want, because we’re a trusted source. We’ve been able to create such relationships with banks that our clients have received breaks on rates, because the banks know we provide a good service.”