Karmen Conrad is Senior Vice President, Head of Marketing for Byline Bank, a Chicago-based community bank serving small and midsized businesses and consumers. Karmen oversees integrated marketing strategy and communications, including customer acquisition and campaign development across all consumer and commercial lines of business. Under Karmen’s leadership, Byline recently launched its sponsorship of the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) #128 Soldier Field Express bus route for the Bears’ 2025-2026 season.

What prompted the decision to partner with the CTA and sponsor the Soldier Field Express bus route? Why was now the right time for Byline Bank to pursue a campaign like this?

This opportunity came at just the right time, as so many exciting things have been happening behind the scenes at Byline. We recently completed our brand refresh and are approaching the $10 billion milestone in our growth. But even with this momentum, we recognize that as a community bank, we don’t have the same visibility and brand recognition as larger regional and national players. So, when we realized we had this exclusive opportunity through the CTA to connect directly with Bears fans—many of whom overlap with our target audience of local business owners, entrepreneurs, and investors—it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.

Beyond game days, the Soldier Field Express buses will also run on high-traffic Chicago routes throughout the season, giving Byline visibility across the city every single day.

How does this campaign reflect Byline’s mission to support Chicagoland communities and businesses?

As a community-based bank with branches throughout the city and surrounding areas, we feel a strong connection to the CTA and how it moves through neighborhoods to keep Chicago running. Businesses are the engine that power communities. This partnership reflects our shared support for Chicago’s many communities and underscores our commitment to helping them grow. At its core, this campaign is about building awareness of who we are and how we can help businesses and communities thrive.

In what ways does the Soldier Field Express sponsorship connect to Byline’s growth as a leading commercial bank in Chicago? What message does Byline hope to send to business owners through this highly visible campaign?

Our clients consistently tell us they choose Byline over other financial providers because of our commitment to understanding them: They’re more than just numbers and files to us, and they can feel that in every interaction. We pride ourselves on building long-term relationships, delivering personalized service and serving as ongoing partners in the growth and success of our clients.

That said, people can’t reap the benefits of our services if they don’t know who we are. Our market research validated that we have an opportunity to strengthen awareness of our brand. We want Byline to be a household name for businesses in Chicagoland: The goal is to be the first bank that businesses consider when they need financing support or a new banking partner. Building familiarity is the first step in building trust, which is exactly what this campaign intends to do.

Why is a personalized, community-based approach to banking more important now than ever before?

Most of our customers value the personalized approach of bankers who know them and take time to really understand their situation—something you don’t always get with larger banks. The perceived security and prestige of a large bank is great until the landscape gets volatile and challenging. During COVID, for example, many people realized there was a significant benefit to having someone you can call and work through problems with. This kind of personalized service may not be something you fully appreciate until you need it.

We want to help Chicagoans understand what a community bank can truly offer. If you want to bank with an institution that values and reinvests in the community it serves, supports the businesses that help to make the community a great place to live and work, and provides personalized and thoughtful guidance built on decades of experience, consider a community bank as an essential partner. And we invite you to come and learn more about Byline and talk to us; we can’t wait to meet you!

What makes Byline uniquely positioned to serve Chicago’s businesses during uncertain or volatile times?

If there are two things Byline does exceptionally well, it’s understanding businesses and understanding Chicago. Our bankers have been servicing Chicagoland for decades, and they have the deep partnerships and networks needed to provide top-tier advisory support and guidance. There’s a lot of economic uncertainty happening right now, but our bankers are deeply experienced in the art of helping clients and their businesses through market challenges. Our team has decades of experience and carries the specialized knowledge our clients need to see them through economic volatility.

Can you speak to how Byline’s growth in recent years has helped shape the bank’s vision and impact?

Much of our growth has been organic, and we see significant opportunities to continue on this path. While we can certainly support clients in their expansion plans beyond Chicago, our primary focus is here at home. There remain significant opportunities for growth in Chicagoland for us and our clients, and we see our role as part of the broader mission to help Chicago thrive.

Whether through community initiatives, our financial products and services, or supporting businesses with a shared vision for the city, we’re proud to be part of shaping the future of Chicago.

What’s been your favorite part of working on this campaign—and what has the response been like so far?

My favorite part has been seeing the magic of our incredible team and their ideas come together. The creative process for the buses was inspiring, and it’s been exciting to watch the campaign come to life. Even though it’s only been out for a few days, people are already buzzing about seeing our brand break through in such an impactful way.

Working alongside our Sr. Manager of Brand Jeanette Socke, External Communications Manager Allison Roche, and Creative Design Manager Karen Castens on this program has been so much fun. I’m really proud of the incredible work our team has accomplished and we’re all looking forward to seeing Byline on the move throughout the city.

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