Tag Archive for: voice of experience

Voice of Experience: Connie Maccarone, Senior Vice President of Insurance Operations, Western & Southern Financial Group

The opportunity to learn and grow through different positions is what Connie Maccarone liked best about Western & Southern Financial Group. The company, as she recalls, “offered career opportunities, industry-recognized training and long-term growth for me that other jobs did not.”

She started in an entry-level programming position, dedicated 29 years to Information Technology, and was promoted to senior vice president of Insurance Operations more than ten years ago.

Experience in Western & Southern

Maccarone understands how important it is to learn from others and accept advice. “I, like many women, needed to seek more constructive feedback. I developed technical and management skills more quickly when I welcomed constructive criticism,” she says.

She proudly recalls the successful projects and service provided to Western & Southern’s distribution channels, producers and clients, which would not have been possible without the help of “people with outstanding capabilities and dedication.” She is happy to have had the chance to learn from them.

One of the company’s many goals is to help families see how important life insurance and retirement planning are, especially for the middle class, “since many of those families would not be in a position to sustain their life style without the benefits realized from the proper amount of life insurance, savings and retirement planning,” she says.

Western & Southern has acquired other insurance companies, and is currently “working on strategic back-office and IT initiatives to unify and modernize functional processing across the various companies. This will provide more scalable processing and better enable additional mergers and acquisitions,” she adds.

Women in Insurance

“I recommend that women stop focusing on the fact that they are women.” Maccarone believes that the best companies don’t take gender into consideration. They “care about developing people who will help the company and its associates succeed.” She recalls, “many of my best coaches and mentors were men who cared about people. By seizing assignments, training, education and the work ethic that make the company successful, you will be successful.”

A hunger for knowledge in the field you choose and passion for the tasks you accomplish are two requirements for being successful. She suggests that women “understand and truly love the position [they] have at each step in their career,” and advises them against “losing sight of how it fits into the company’s success. Nail the job you have and help others see how their efforts fit into the whole picture.”

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Voice of Experience: Dixie Johnson, Partner, King & Spalding

DixieJones_FR_20140123192408“When I was growing up, I aspired to be a 5th grade school teacher,” said Dixie Johnson, Partner, King & Spalding, “and when I was twenty-one years old, I realized this career goal.” Johnson loved teaching and was very fulfilled by this career path, but when she stopped to consider the longevity of a career in education, she determined that this might not be the direction she wanted to take her career. This is when her professional life took an unexpected turn and propelled her toward a career in law.

“Every job is a stepping stone the builds your portfolio in the future,” Johnson said. “Be open to changing directions.”

Career Path in Law

In order to keep her teaching certification, Johnson was required to complete a graduate degree. “I decided to get my MBA at night while I was teaching during the day,” said Johnson. It was here that she was advised to attend law school at the urging of her Business Law professor who read her first exam and saw something special in Johnson. “This is one of those lessons in life,” explained Johnson.

“If people are paying attention and care enough to vocalize their observations, it can change somebody’s life, which is exactly what this professor did for me.”

Although Johnson was not entirely convinced that she wanted to become a lawyer, she ultimately listened to the advice of her professor, took a leave of absence from teaching, and applied to the local law school in Albuquerque, NM. Since Johnson always had an affinity for math, she had an early interest in tax law, but when the tax code changed twice while she was in law school, she reconsidered this area and began to look more closely at securities law instead. “It is a heavily regulated field where lawyers are necessary, and I found it very intriguing,” Johnson explained. “As it turned out, my professor was right. I loved law school and quickly realized that it was a very good fit for me,” said Johnson. By the end of her third year, Johnson was headed to Washington, D.C. to practice law. “I came as a first year associate and stayed for twenty-seven years,” Johnson recalled. She joined Fried Frank in 1986 in the corporate department working on corporate transactions and enforcement work.

“It took me about three years to determine which field I wanted to devote my legal career to, but I found that helping people prepare to present their case to the government was something that I enjoyed very much,” said Johnson.

In January 2014, Johnson moved to King & Spalding, where she is a partner. Despite never having worked for the government, Johnson is proud of the fact that she has built a strong reputation and emerged as a leader in securities law.

Trends in Securities Law

According to Johnson, the impact of the Jobs Act is something she is very interested in and will be following closely in the future.

“Companies are experiencing streamlined access to capital raising, and some of the pausing moments in the process are not there anymore,” explained Johnson. “The federal securities laws are not always straightforward and going on your instinct without consulting with counsel, you can’t adequately anticipate what the laws require.”

It has been fascinating to practice securities law during such a dynamic time in the financial services industry, said Johnson, who often represents large corporations. “As a financial institution, it is difficult to be under such a large amount of scrutiny, but with that said, banks have a huge responsibility,” said Johnson.

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Voice of Experience: Dawn Trautman, Senior Vice President, Life Insurance Division, Pacific Life

Trautman-Dawn-200If Dawn Trautman could advise women who wish to work in the insurance industry, she would encourage them to be willing to inspire change and to seek out varied experiences throughout their careers. While the industry has been slow to change in the past, new developments in technology, changing demographics, and economic conditions make it poised for transformation. In fact, this philosophy of embracing change and being open to different opportunities has led Trautman to her current position as a Senior Vice President in the Life Insurance Division at Pacific Life.

Trautman began her career in technology at Prudential over 25 years ago. There she was fortunate to be in a program in which she rotated through various roles in the IT department early in her career. This opportunity enabled her “to learn many aspects of the business and see the business from different perspectives.” She added, “Rotating through different jobs early on taught me to ask questions, to learn critical aspects of new areas quickly, and the importance of being able to see a situation from another person’s perspective.”

After a few years, Trautman joined Accenture, leading various system implementation and strategy development projects for other insurance companies. After that, she transitioned into business roles at Pacific Life, working in various areas including technology, sales and marketing, new business operations, and underwriting.

Career Advice for Women
“Innovation happens at the intersections of different disciplines. Having an appreciation for multiple disciplines, as well as having professional contacts in different areas, expands your thinking and opens many opportunities,” said Trautman. She recommends that women be open to opportunities to “get broad experience in different aspects of business and across industries wherever possible.”

Trautman also notes that helping others develop their careers is important. “As you look back over your career, you see many places where others helped you, and it is important to pass that on by helping others get a good start and progress in their career,” Trautman added.

It is not surprising that, when asked about what she would have liked to have known at the very beginning of her career, she mentioned “how important networking and mentoring is to developing your career.”

Women in Pacific Life
With regard to the advancement of women at Pacific Life, Trautman explained that the culture at the company is equally supportive in developing and advancing women and men. Key development programs include leadership development as well as technical skill development programs, such as an actuarial rotation program.

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Voice of Experience: Susan C. Frunzi, Partner, Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP

susan c.frunzi“I didn’t have a master plan or a clear vision of my career path,” explained Frunzi. “Instead I went with my gut instincts, I focused on the things I liked to do, and I knew that no decision I made was irrevocable.”

Following her instinct has been one of the most important lessons that Frunzi has learned and applied to her career. “Coming out of law school, I did not follow everyone who was chasing big firms. I had a hunch about Schulte Roth & Zabel –which was a smaller firm with about 50 lawyers at the time –and I felt like it was the right fit for me,” Frunzi said.

“If anyone told me that thirty years later I would still be here, I might have told them they were crazy, but I have enjoyed being part of the growth
of this firm and couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else,” she added. Today, Schulte Roth & Zabel is an AmLaw 100 law firm with 375 attorneys and offices in New York, Washington, D.C. and London.

Career Path

While in college, Frunzi weighed the options of attending either business or law school, and ultimately enrolled in law school at Columbia University. “If you go to business school, you can do a lot of things, but you can’t be a lawyer, and if you go to law school, you can choose to be a lawyer or work in business,” said Frunzi. After she started law school, Frunzi applied to business school at Columbia, and was accepted.

After her first year of law school, Frunzi worked at a large law firm and concentrated on antitrust and trade regulation because of her background in Economics. “Although I enjoyed it and learned a lot, I realized very quickly that I was not very passionate about this particular area of law,” noted Frunzi.

Frunzi came to Schulte Roth & Zabel in the summer following her second year of law school and had the opportunity to explore several different areas in order to determine which path she wanted to pursue. She explained, “What I love about trusts and estates is that I get to help individuals. This adds a different layer of complexity and can be challenging at times, but every day is different, the issues are extremely interesting, and I like and respect the people I work with.”

“What more could I ask for?” added Frunzi.
Frunzi indicates that there remains a gender leadership gap (though not at Schulte Roth & Zabel) in trusts and estates, an area in big law firms that tends to attract women. “I feel especially proud of the fact that I made partner eight years into my career, even though the cards might have been stacked against me at other firms,” stated Frunzi.

Currently, Frunzi helps a lot of individuals with different aspects of charitable planning, including creating and administering private foundations. According to Frunzi, it is very rewarding to help people negotiate the terms of substantial charitable gifts. “It is always interesting to see how the institution is viewing the gift versus how the client is viewing the gift, and finding the middle ground can be a challenge,” Frunzi noted.

Another issue Frunzi is interested in, and is very much involved with, is determining how trusts are administered among multiple generations within a family. “My role changes depending on whether I am representing a beneficiary or a trustee,” said Frunzi, “and often times I have to figure out how to navigate the family issues in addition to the standard legal issues that arise.”

Working closely with families on these personal matters is one the most interesting and complicated aspects of this area, said Frunzi, who noted that learning how to handle family dynamics is definitely something that comes with experience.

Throughout her career, Frunzi has always taken a lot of pride in developing the future talent at her firm. “Looking back at all of the help and guidance I had as a junior lawyer, I try to give back as much as I can,” said Frunzi, who feels a great sense of accomplishment from watching junior associates grow and mature in their career.

Women’s Leadership in Law

“It is a little different in trusts and estates,” remarked Frunzi, “and there are certainly plusses and minuses to being a woman in this area.” She noted that in her experience, she has encountered clients who only want to deal with a woman because they feel like a woman will be more inclined to understand the emotional side of the situation. On the other hand, some clients only want to work with men because they feel like men are more capable of handling the business aspects of the field.

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Voice of Experience: Jennifer Taglia, Senior Vice President, Head of RFP, Voya Investment Management, formerly ING U.S. Investment Management

jennifer anglia“My career journey is certainly not linear,” said Jennifer Taglia, “but it has taken me to a place where I am enjoying what I am doing and I am learning something new all of the time.”
Taglia advises young professionals to seek similar professional fulfillment by taking responsibility for their own career path. “Don’t sit back and wait for things to happen to you,” said Taglia, “instead, be proactive, take initiative and create opportunities for your own career advancement.”

Career Story

Taglia started her career in operations on the sell side of UBS Investment Bank recruited right out of school. Here, she was exposed to foreign exchange, interest rates, precious metals, and derivatives in support of institutional business. After three years at UBS, Taglia decided that she wanted to gain more exposure to the rest of the business.

This desire to learn and grow prompted her move to the buy side at GE Asset Management, where she managed the equity operations team and later joined the Lean Six Sigma Quality Team. Taglia spent about six years in this cross business six sigma project management role and was exposed to many different processes across multiple sections of the business.

During this time, Taglia earned her Master Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma and went on to become a project manager in a product and marketing role. After relocating to Phoenix, AZ for a brief time, Taglia returned to the New York City area where she was offered a position at ING U.S. She came to ING U.S. as a project manager supporting the client business, and stayed in this role for about two years before an opportunity presented itself that would simultaneously challenge her and elevate her career to a new level.

“When the head of the RFP team resigned, I was put in charge of keeping the team running smoothly while they searched for a replacement,” explained Taglia, who spent a couple of months in this interim role. “It became clear to me that my experience, knowledge and ability to do a deep dive on processes could be an asset here, but that I also had the opportunity to learn and grow.”

She continued, “I was not an expert on everything that the role demanded, but I was confident in my ability to improve the process and improve the team.” This confidence helped Taglia transition permanently into the Head of RFP role where she has been for nearly three years.

The lengthy and complex process of rebranding ING U.S. Investment Management to Voya Investment Management was completed on May 1 and Jennifer and her team played a large part. “It is definitely a rare opportunity to be part of a complete rebranding, “Taglia explained, “and it has been very exciting to be involved in this change and to ensure that the process went smoothly.”

“Being successful in this role is something I am very proud of,” Taglia noted, “because it combines all of my strengths and past experiences while enabling me to take my career in a new and rewarding direction.”

On Thriving Professionally

According to Taglia, one of the most important components of her personal success has been maintaining a healthy work-life balance. “Having support at work and at home is a key factor for me,” said Taglia, who is married with two children.

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Voice of Experience: Michelle Bottomley, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, Mercer

Michelle bottomley“Work for bold and brave people – intent on creating positive change.” This is advice Michelle Bottomley, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at Mercer, encourages young female professionals to follow.

“When you work for brave leaders intent on transforming their business – and partner across the firm – you have the impetus and opportunity to develop a holistic view that leads to more powerful solutions than any one person alone could have on their own,” advised Bottomley.

Turning Data Analysis into Strategic Decisions

Bottomley graduated from college with a dual degree in Economics and Biology, and was especially drawn toward statistics. She recalled, “I started my career in the corporate research department at Liberty Mutual Insurance. I was working toward my Ph.D. in Econometrics, and lucky to work with their corporate database – one of the most advanced at the time.” Bottomley added, “I was able to see the process of how data analyses were translated into corporate strategies.”

This early experience sparked Bottomley’s passion for looking at businesses through the lens of customer data. Recognizing this interest in unlocking customer value led Bottomley to Bronner Slosberg Humphrey – now Digitas –where she grew the analytics function into a strategic capability. “I was very fortunate to begin my career around data, putting the spotlight on how marketing programs drive customer behavior change in ways that help companies grow their business,” said Bottomley.

From Insights to Action

During her time at Bronner, Bottomley shifted from the analytics side of marketing to a strategic client management role when a colleague suggested that she utilize her analysis skills and her talent of really understanding the implications of data in order to build strategies and programs that grow client relationships. Bottomley noted, “I really enjoyed working with clients to help them connect the dots between their target audiences, highly targeted marketing programs and revenue growth.”

Bottomley’s next career step brought her to Epsilon, a leading data-driven marketing company, where she worked in the travel and entertainment area with clients like Disney, Enterprise Rental Cars, Dayton-Hudson and AMEX Platinum on building databases, segmentation and targeted communications to increase customer loyalty. “This was a fantastic time to be at Epsilon as they had lots of data and loyalty programs and clients who wanted to connect the dots between the data, communications and ROI,” said Bottomley.

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Voice of Experience: Yas Banifatemi, Partner, Shearman & Sterling

Yas BanifatemiEvery day is a new day for Yas Banifatemi, a partner at Shearman & Sterling in Paris. An internationally acclaimed leader in international arbitration and public international law, Banifatemi works in an area of law that is very fluid and where clients regularly confront highly complex – and often emerging – issues.

“What I love about arbitration is that this is a field where you can truly be creative,” she says. “The law is in the making, so you can be a pioneer of the law.”

In many ways, Banifatemi has already been a pioneer. When she joined Shearman & Sterling 17 years ago, the arbitration field was clearly male-dominated. Today, not only is she the head of the firm’s Public International Law practice, but she was instrumental in the development of the firm’s investment arbitration practice and also acts as deputy managing partner of the firm’s Paris office. In her different capacities, she has seen more and more women in senior corporate and government roles and at her firm.

Beginning Her Career in Arbitration

Banifatemi joined Shearman & Sterling’s arbitration practice in 1997 after earning her doctorate in International Law from Panthéon-Assas University in Paris and her Masters of Law from Harvard. “It was quite a hectic year for me as I was juggling between my studies at Harvard and completing my PhD and writing my dissertation,” she says.

Before joining the firm, Banifatemi had considered a career in academia, but after studying under Arthur van Mehren at Harvard, a leading figure in arbitration in the US, she decided to practice law. “I wanted to be engaged in the process and be an agent of change – to make a difference instead of staying behind the scenes and merely reflecting on matters,” Banifatemi says. “Given how few firms practiced arbitration back then and how few positions existed in the field, joining Shearman’s arbitration practice and having the opportunity to work with Emmanuel Gaillard, one of the world’s leading figures in arbitration, felt like a miracle.”

Although a practitioner first and foremost, Banifatemi has been fortunate enough to indulge her academic interests, conducting seminars in Paris and all over the world and being a co-founder of the Arbitration Academy, an international institution providing for advanced courses in the field.

Overcoming the Odds

Many naysayers told Banifatemi that it was practically impossible to become a practitioner in public international law, which governs the rights and obligations of states and international organizations. International arbitration seemed like the safer bet, and Banifatemi initially focused her efforts on this area of law instead. However, she persisted in her quest to become a specialist in public international law, and as fate would have it, she worked on a matter that would change her career path.

“Three months after I started,” she recalls, “Shearman & Sterling landed a major treaty arbitration case for Slovakia. We were one of the first firms to work on treaty arbitration. I worked specifically on the international law aspects of the case and have been engaged in treaty arbitration and public international law issues ever since.”

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Voice of Experience: Daphne Karydas, Director, Senior Equity Analyst, The Boston Company Asset Management LLC

women-workingEarly on in her career, Daphne Karydas learned that a key component of success is to match your skills and talents with your interests and passions. After studying chemical engineering at MIT, Karydas entered the pharmaceutical industry where she worked in research and development at Merck for about 3 years.

Seeking a different career path, she decided to earn her MBA from Harvard Business School and proceeded to work as an Investment Banker in the Healthcare sector at Goldman Sachs for 4 years.

“I was not able to leverage my entire skill set in investment banking,” explained Karydas, “and it was important for me to find a role that fully utilized my skill set and professional interests.”

Career in Asset Management

It wasn’t until Karydas transitioned into Asset Management as a healthcare analyst that she felt truly fulfilled by her career path. “The nature of the industry gives me the opportunity to utilize my scientific background and financial markets training while still being able achieve a healthy work-life balance,” she said.

Now, as a Director and Senior Equity Analyst at The Boston Company, Karydas says one of the exciting aspects of her job is moving away from traditional models and incorporating more alternative strategies to maximize the portfolio performance. “It is challenging but interesting work trying to determine new ways to add value for clients,” Karydas noted.

Women in Asset Management: Mentoring is Key

According to Karydas, there is a still a wide leadership gap in asset management, but she is encouraged by the increasing number of women she sees emerging in the industry. As more female asset managers are coming on to the scene, Karydas emphasized just how important mentoring and sponsorship will be in developing the next generation.

“The cycle of mentoring is critical,” Karydas noted, “and when you have influential leaders taking the time to identify young talent and help them navigate their careers, there can be a big impact..”

Finding a mentor and developing that relationship is important to career advancement, but Karydas also stresses the value of hard work and dedication. “Performance matters in Asset Management so you have to work hard and be proactive about your career,” she advised.

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Voice of Experience: Susan Soh, Partner and Global Head of Marketing and Client Services, Perella Weinberg Partners

Susan SohSomeone once asked Susan Soh, a partner at Perella Weinberg Partners, what she would do if she was to retire today. Her response:

“I would choose to do exactly what I do now because I love it,” said Soh.

If there is one underlying theme that has followed Soh throughout her career, it is that you must be passionate about your work. She first discovered this valuable tenet early in her professional life.

Building a Rewarding Career

Soh, as it turns out, did not always think she would enter the world of financial services. In fact, after graduating from Harvard Law School, she had aspirations of moving to Asia to become a successful attorney. Her trajectory changed, however, when she realized that the corporate legal environment did not ignite a spark in her. “I knew very early on that I would not be happy in a career doing something for which I lacked passion,” said Soh.

Soh, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Yale University, recalled her interest in finance and decided to pursue a career in banking. “The M&A market was heating up at the time and many firms were in search of reformed lawyers to join their team,” explained Soh. She accepted a position as an M&A banker at Bear Stearns. “I worked long, hard hours,” said Soh, “but I loved every minute of it.”

While in this role, Soh expanded her interests and moved to the merchant banking business at Bear Stearns where she worked on private equity investments as well as marketing for the firm’s first institutional fund. That turned into a full-time marketing role, which launched her career in asset raising. When an opportunity presented itself to get in on the ground floor at Lightyear Capital, Soh jumped at the chance to join a venture that appealed to her entrepreneurial nature. It was at Lightyear Capital that she was exposed to the hedge fund industry, an emerging space at the time.

In 2003, Soh entered the hedge fund industry, which brought a whole new world of dynamic markets and different strategies than she had previously experienced in the private equity world. “Very few people make the transition from private equity to hedge funds, so this was definitely new ground for me, but I always found being open to change and new challenges was one of the best ways to advance in your career,” she explained.

During this period, Soh was responsible for hedge fund business development at Highbridge Capital Management. “It was extremely exciting and a great learning experience as I was responsible for marketing each sub-strategy in Highbridge’s multi-strategy fund as a new standalone funds. It was there that I had the opportunity to be mentored by Glenn Dubin, one of the great titans of the hedge fund industry.”

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Voice of Experience: Kris Muller, Partner and Assurance Strategy Leader, PwC

Kris Muller PwCFor Kris Muller, Partner and Assurance Strategy Leader at PwC, many doors opened for her throughout her career as a result of saying, “Yes.” Early on in her career, Muller was fortunate enough to be recognized by key decision makers who would recommend her for stretch assignments, thus furthering her career.

“I was lucky in this way,” said Muller, “but I wish I had realized that you can advocate for yourself and have more influence in your career.”

Muller, who will be celebrating 30 years with PwC in August, urges young women to be proactive in their careers. She advised, “Don’t wait for opportunities to fall into your lap. Be vocal and go after exactly what you want.” PwC’s approach to real-time feedback and development, in which leaders provide performance feedback throughout the year, rather than only during the traditional annual performance review process, creates opportunities for such conversations and requests to take place.

Career Path

Muller graduated from college with one goal in mind: to be the best at whatever she did. This drive and dedication has been the foundation for Muller’s rewarding career at PwC. She began her journey at PwC’s Stamford, CT, office where she was part of the Assurance and Audit team.

When Muller’s mentor and coach at PwC approached her about moving to the Washington, D.C., office to start up the technology Internet group there, she accepted the opportunity. “It was during the Dotcom Bubble and we were busy working on countless IPOs,” recalled Muller, who became a partner during this time.

As Muller continued to progress, she joined PwC’s “chief auditor” network, which supports the methodology of the firm and focuses on the consistency and quality of the Assurance practice. She was also the Southeast Software Leader in addition to her responsibility as TICE (technology, infocomm, entertainment and media) team leader at the D.C. office.

In another pivotal conversation, Muller was asked by the same mentor and coach to move to Finland to join the Global TICE group in an Assurance and Audit capacity. She spent five years in Helsinki and was the lead on a top global account for PwC during this time. This experience gave her a whole new perspective, international awareness and broad professional and personal network.

Making an Impact

Currently, Muller is very excited about her strategy role within the US Assurance Leadership Team, which PwC’s current Assurance leader, Vin Colman, asked her to take on. She noted, “I love the forward looking nature of this role and the excitement of bringing it all together, seeing the progress, and being directly involved in the direction of our Firm. Vin has a thoughtful perspective about the transformation of our practice and the opportunities in the profession – it was an easy decision to join Vin and his team.”

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