Words of Wisdom from the C-Suite for Young Graduates
May 27, 2015 11:00 AM
We asked bank chief financial officers what advice they would give their younger selves. Here is what they wish they'd known when they started their careers.
(Image: iStock)
Learn to Play Well with Others
David B. Marshall
Union State Bank, Arkansas, Kan.
$250 million in assets
"Spend time developing organizational skills [and] understanding how to interact with and adapt to all types of personalities."
Union State Bank, Arkansas, Kan.
$250 million in assets
"Spend time developing organizational skills [and] understanding how to interact with and adapt to all types of personalities."
Build Trust
Paul Clemens
First Midwest Bancorp, Itasca, Ill
$9.3 billion in assets
"Devote time building trust with others. The old saying, 'They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care' still very much applies today."
First Midwest Bancorp, Itasca, Ill
$9.3 billion in assets
"Devote time building trust with others. The old saying, 'They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care' still very much applies today."
Observe Closely
Mollie Carter & Rob Cafera
Sunflower Bank, Salina, Kan.
$2 billion in assets
"Keep watch how different people handle different situations can teach you a lot about leading people."
Sunflower Bank, Salina, Kan.
$2 billion in assets
"Keep watch how different people handle different situations can teach you a lot about leading people."
Prepare to Pivot
Nancy Davis
Stock Yards Bancorp, Louisville, Ky.
$2.6 billion in assets
"Prepare for a business environment of constant and rapid change. Be ready to work harder than you imagine, and expect most days to be very different from what is on your list of things to do."
Stock Yards Bancorp, Louisville, Ky.
$2.6 billion in assets
"Prepare for a business environment of constant and rapid change. Be ready to work harder than you imagine, and expect most days to be very different from what is on your list of things to do."
Look Beyond the Numbers
Tani Girton
Bank of Marin, Novato, Calif.
$1.8 billion in assets
"Numbers are just an introduction to the story about a business. It's more exciting, more fun, and involves more people than you might imagine."
Bank of Marin, Novato, Calif.
$1.8 billion in assets
"Numbers are just an introduction to the story about a business. It's more exciting, more fun, and involves more people than you might imagine."
Get a Handle on the Future
Ashley Dennis
The Hardin County Bank, Savannah, Tenn.
$428.5 million in assets
"Learn more about modeling and forecasting. These are not my strong areas, but bankers have more requirements and needs for modeling and forecasting now."
The Hardin County Bank, Savannah, Tenn.
$428.5 million in assets
"Learn more about modeling and forecasting. These are not my strong areas, but bankers have more requirements and needs for modeling and forecasting now."
Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease
Karen Parkhill
Comerica, Dallas
$69 billion in assets
"The more broad your path, the better be open along the way to lateral career moves and to stretch project assignments. And, be vocal about letting people know that you want to take these on. Your experience and your ultimate performance will get you noticed within the organization as someone who should be groomed for growing responsibility."
Comerica, Dallas
$69 billion in assets
"The more broad your path, the better be open along the way to lateral career moves and to stretch project assignments. And, be vocal about letting people know that you want to take these on. Your experience and your ultimate performance will get you noticed within the organization as someone who should be groomed for growing responsibility."
Be a Sponge
Leslie Lunak
BankUnited, Miami Lakes, Fla.
$19.9 billion
"No knowledge you can accumulate along the way is wasted, so soak everything up and avail yourself of as many diverse opportunities as you can."
BankUnited, Miami Lakes, Fla.
$19.9 billion
"No knowledge you can accumulate along the way is wasted, so soak everything up and avail yourself of as many diverse opportunities as you can."
Family First
Kirk Billingsley
Pendleton Community Bank, Franklin, W.V.
$267.5 million in assets
"Family is more important than any work deadline. Deadlines aren't even a close second. Spend time learning, and digging into the things you don't understand."
Pendleton Community Bank, Franklin, W.V.
$267.5 million in assets
"Family is more important than any work deadline. Deadlines aren't even a close second. Spend time learning, and digging into the things you don't understand."
Cross-Train
Craig Huffman
Community First Bank of Indiana, Kokomo
$203 million in assets
"Don't get pigeonholed into one area of the bank without getting a deep working knowledge of other areas."
Community First Bank of Indiana, Kokomo
$203 million in assets
"Don't get pigeonholed into one area of the bank without getting a deep working knowledge of other areas."
