Below are HBJ’s 2022 Women Who Mean Business finance honorees. To see all of the honorees, scroll through the slideshow above.
Managing Partner, Private Wealth Advisor, Luminate A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services LLC
Go-to song: “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi
Favorite restaurant: El Tiempo Cantina
Most recent book read: “The Giver of Stars: A Novel” by JoJo Moyes
Superpower: My superpower is making people smile, laugh, always being positive and motivating others and making them feel secure in their finances and life decisions.
How do you start your day? I start my day by opening the blinds, making my bed, grabbing a cup of coffee then reflect on what I am grateful for in my life, what makes life worth attacking each day. I reflect on those that I care about, those that count on me, and what actions I am going to do that day to make a difference in someone’s life.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? The one thing most people don’t know about me is that I was an officer in the U.S. Army! I served my country first as an enlisted soldier where I was recognized for being a leader in my unit. I was recommended and accepted to attend Officer Candidate School, where I finished the top of my class and won five out of the 10 awards for Highest GPA, Highest Physical Fitness Award, and Distinguished Honor Graduate to name a few of them. Based on my recognition as Distinguished Honor Graduate, my name is inscribed on a bowl with all of the other honorees in history of OCS in Washington, D.C.
The most important trait for being an effective leader is: I believe the most important trait for being an effective leader is to be empathetic, believe in the good in others and be direct, clear and firm.
Managing Director, South Texas/New Mexico Region Manager for Middle Market Banking & Specialized Industries, JPMorgan Chase
Go-to song: “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin
Favorite restaurant: Little Matt’s is our favorite family restaurant – it’s a gem. For a night out with my husband, we love Coppa or Da Marco.
Most recent book read: Working my way through “Churchill: Walking with Destiny” by Andrew Roberts
Superpower: My ability to build relationships and foster connectivity. I’m fueled by people, which is why I love this chapter of my career where I’m on the relationship management side of banking.
How do you start your day? I start my day before everyone else in our household (except for our lab puppy, who is always up first). I use this window to read emails, catch up on news, and prepare for the day — with coffee. That said, one of the best parts of my day is the morning routine with my family, which includes helping my young daughters get ready for school.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? Many people may not expect a banker to have a creative side. I have always loved creating art, especially photography (I sold some of my pictures to a gallery at age 18, which was beyond thrilling). I spent many hours in high school and college in the dark room developing my own pictures, and still dream of building a dark room in my home one day. During the pandemic I started painting and drawing again (both on my own, and with my daughters), which has carried forward into 2022. It has become an amazing outlet amidst a hectic professional/personal life, and fun to reclaim this piece of myself.
Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking, Commerce Bank
Go-to song: “Amarillo by Morning” by George Strait
Favorite restaurant: Houston’s (Now Hillstone, but still Houston’s in my mind)
Most recent book read: “Woman On Fire” by Lisa Barr
Superpower: My ability to identify a path to a solution or goal. I am not a conceptual person, but if you give me the end goal, I will get you there.
How do you start your day? I make time to workout most mornings, then I always make time for a short devotional, make coffee, and off to work!
What is the most difficult thing you’ve had to do? Leave my first job.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? I teach spin classes at RIDE Indoor Cycling.
In what ways are you seeing your industry changing? Banking is becoming so much more than a place to park your dollars and cents, and a place to borrow money. Over the last 10 years I have seen a shift in my role to become more of an adviser to my customers. Whether it be assisting in selecting an ERP system, looking at a business to acquire or hiring a new CFO, customers are looking to banks as an all-encompassing service.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming female leaders? Own your process and hold yourself accountable. It’s easy to point a finger or blame an unforeseen circumstance when things don’t go your way – but when you truly start owning your process, you own your success.
The most important trait for being an effective leader is: Integrity.
Director of Financial Planning, Inscription Capital
Go-to song: “Man, I feel like a Woman” by Shania Twain
Favorite restaurant: Los Tios! Its a family tradition.
Most recent book read: “The Truth About Crypto” by Ric Edelman
Superpower: Test taking
How do you start your day? I give myself time in the morning. It is important to me to breathe before moving into work mode. I set my alarm for an hour in advance of when I need to get up just for the pleasure of knowing there is another hour of rest. That time to breathe and prepare helps so much with stress and managing the demands of the day.
What is the most difficult thing you’ve had to do? Without exception — raising adolescent girls. Part of the reason for the difficulty stems from the expectation that since I was once an adolescent myself, I assumed I already knew what to do and how to parent.
Nope. Nothing quite humbles you more than assuming you have the answers when you do not.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? I am a karaoke queen. I worked for Royal Caribbean cruise lines for two years after graduating college and regularly hosted karaoke for the cruise ship guests. As a result, I have quite an affinity for a good karaoke party and start off my set with Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel like a woman!”
Tell us about someone who has been an important influence in your life and why? Edna Meyer-Nelson. She is a force of nature and such an inspiration to how to do business in a male dominated industry. On top of this she leads with service — to her employees, to her business, to her friends and to the many charities she supports.
Director, Your Part-Time Controller
Go-to song: “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong
Favorite restaurant: This is a hard one! I’m a Gemini so my tastebuds are as fickle as my moods. I love hole-in-the-walls as much as I love high-end, elegant restaurants, if not more.
Most recent book read: “The Last Queen” by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.
Superpower: My superpower, I’ve been told, is being a super-connector.
How do you start your day? I always start the day with 30 to 45 minutes of quiet time with a cup of coffee in hand and my dogs by my side. If the weather permits, then I love to sit in the backyard during this time to breath in some fresh air or walk on the grass barefoot.
What is the most difficult thing you’ve had to do? The most difficult thing I’ve had to do is terminate employment of underperforming employees. We have a Prime Directive at YPTC: “Never let a colleague be blindsided.” In each case, the employee in question created a situation that not only blindsided another team member, but also adversely affected them more than once.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? People who have met me as an adult are always surprised to hear that I was an extremely shy and introverted child. Growing up, I had moved seven times by the time I graduated high school (four of those moves during my middle school and high school years). I was the outsider who had to learn how to become part of the crowd in school. I had to learn how to navigate new environments, make friends quickly, and get teachers to notice and care about me too. While it was difficult as a kid, in hindsight it set me up for success in my career.
Senior Vice President, Middle Market Team Lead – Houston, Texas Capital Bank
Go-to song: “Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson
Favorite Restaurant: State of Grace
Most recent book read: “The Big Rich” by Bryan Burrough
Superpower: Self-motivation
How do you start your day? My day starts with my husband Jordan, who is a managing director at Mizuho, our young son Graham, and our 13-year-old Maltese/Yorkie mix, Oliver. We take Oliver for a quick walk in the morning, and all eat breakfast together before we head off for the day.
What is the most difficult thing you’ve had to do? Leaving a secure job with an active portfolio that had grown over six years to start at ground zero with a new organization. That being said, my transition into a new role has also been the most rewarding step in my career. I was hired by our market president at Texas Capital Bank in 2015 and was tasked with contributing to the build out of the bank’s presence and brand reputation in the Houston market. As a relationship manager and now team lead/group manager, I worked diligently to grow my portfolio of business into one of the largest across the firm and now take pride in leading my team of eight colleagues to do so.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? Although I consider myself a “born-again Texan” having lived here since 1998, I am from Baltimore, Maryland, and my favorite food is still steamed Maryland blue crabs. Also, many people do not know that I was a champion swimmer from middle school through early high school, having set a few school records, including the 100-meter backstroke.
Executive Director, Banker, J.P. Morgan Private Bank
Go-to song: Anything Beyonce!
Favorite restaurant: Gatlin’s BBQ
Most recent book read: “The Personal Librarian” by Marie Benedict
Superpower: Being able to get back up no matter how many times I get knocked down.
How do you start your day? Prayer followed by the gym before my 5-year-old twins (aka, The Dragons) wake up, and the madness begins!
In what ways are you seeing your industry changing? Diversity is encouraging, and the voices that have been muted for so long, feel like they are finally being heard.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming female leaders? It’s okay to be unsure and to still be motivated. It’s okay to be humble, but also unapologetically you. It’s okay to not feel strong and to be strong. Progress over perfection, and never give up.
Tell us about someone who has been an important influence in your life and why? Both my mother and grandfather made a profound impact on my life. My mother may be the strongest human being that I know, having raised me as a single mother with nothing. She gave me the foundation that I needed to get me where I am today. My work ethic and drive I owe to my grandfather. With only a third grade-level education, barely able to read and write, he was able to build a successful HVAC system company from the ground up. He instilled the idea that I needed to work harder than anyone else in the room and to not make excuses. My grandfather always said when you make a mistake, own it — don’t repeat it. He also said to be a person of your word that is always willing to help others. No shortcuts, no handouts, and never forget where you came from.
Lead Advisor, Stavis & Cohen Private Wealth
Go-to song: “Buy Dirt” by Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan
Favorite restaurant: Holiday Snack Bar in Long Beach Island, New Jersey
Most recent book read: “Pig the Fibber” by Aaron Blabey (children’s book I read to my kids last night)
Superpower: When I get knocked down I make sure I always get back up stronger and more motivated than ever before.
What is the most difficult thing you’ve had to do? I think the most difficult day in my life was coming back to work after my twins were born. I know this may be a cliché answer but that first day I remember being very emotional, thinking I would miss their entire childhood (yes, I can be a little dramatic!). However, I fully believe that coming back to work was the best decision for me and my family.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? Most people don’t know I played the flute for more than a decade. Music has always been a passion of mine. I believe it stems from learning how to play an instrument and read music from a young age.
In what ways are you seeing your industry changing? I am seeing more women enter the field. I was recently conducting interviews at the University of Houston where they offer a financial planning program and most of the interviews were young women. When I graduated college in 2009, most of the students taking the Certified Financial Planner exam were male so I was pleased to see more young women working towards their CFP.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming female leaders? My biggest piece of advice is to be a sponge to those who are leaders and mentors in your lives.
These profiles have been edited for length and clarity.
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