The Venturus Team

Lauren Celeste

Assistant Vice President
Senior Credit Analyst

After serving six years in the U.S. Navy as a Nuclear Machinist’s Mate—traveling to places like Hawaii, Thailand, and Australia—Lauren transitioned to civilian life, spending a decade at Indiana University Bloomington’s Cyclotron Facility. There, she played a key role in delivering proton beam therapy for cancer patients as a cyclotron operator and later as a treatment system servicing coordinator. Following the facility’s closure in 2014, Lauren pivoted into finance – first, operating her own tax practice for 6 years until 2021, before fully committing to banking.

Lauren’s first foray into banking was in 2017 as a commercial credit underwriter with First National Bank. She later specialized in SBA lending, starting with Newtek in 2021 and moving to First Internet Bank in 2022, where she helped propel the institution from 28th to 7th in SBA lending nationwide. Passionate about structuring loans and understanding diverse industries, Lauren also earned her NAGGL Fundamental Diploma in 2024, solidifying her expertise in the field.

Outside of work, she enjoys learning new skills—whether it’s installing flooring, building a deck for her chickens, or becoming a certified school bus driver in 2023. After Lauren completes her career in SBA Underwriting, she plans to convert a school bus into a mobile home (a “Skoolie”) for future cross country travel. With bachelor degrees in management and accounting, she is originally from Arkansas and raised in Oklahoma, but has called Indiana home for the past 20 years. When Lauren is not analyzing loan requests, in her free time, she enjoys travel, hiking, reading, paddleboarding, home projects, exploring new restaurants, spending time with her dogs, and FaceTiming with her nieces.

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6510 Glenridge Park Place
Suite 8
Louisville, KY 40222
502.741.2403
info@theventurusgroup.com

A Division of Heritage Bank. Member FDIC. Loans are subject to SBA terms and bank approval.

Socialize with Venturus