Amanda N. Wegner

 

 

With the economy largely recovered from the Great Recession, demand for finance-related jobs is on the upswing. In fact, a recent survey from CareerBuilder and moneyjobs.com reported that 35 percent of employers in the financial services sector planned to add positions.

 

Here five professionals working in the banking and financial services sector talk about their roles, their employers, and tender advice for succeeding in this growth field.

 

Being An Agent For Change At USAA

Desiree Isarraraz is an agent for change at USAA, leading teams to institute changes large and small at the association’s many banking business lines to enhance their bottom line.

 

“We regularly meet with bank leadership and prioritize our portfolio of work to make sure we’re getting the right work done to help employees and members. Some of our work is large, like introducing a new product or service, and some are small enhancements,” says Isarraraz, director of operational change.

 

For instance, she is currently working to establish a special loan for certain military members. “We’re trying to put together a package that offers them several conveniences. We want to present it to them in a short time frame, because we understand the need for it,” she says.

 

Large or small, these changes don’t happen in a vacuum, and Isarraraz and her team partner with everyone from leadership to frontline users to ensure everyone is on board. This all comes with the added caveat that “we need to keep the bank compliant, but also make sure we grow and facilitate financial security for members,” she says.

 

Originally from San Antonio where USAA is one of the city’s largest employers, Isarraraz had always known people who worked here. After she graduated from college, she listened to friends working at USAA who had “just wonderful things to say” about the company; in January, Isarraraz celebrated her 11th anniversary.

 

USAA offers many career paths—an important consideration for Isarraraz and one she’s “definitely taken advantage of.” Starting as a mortgage processor, she moved into a supervisor role within a year. She also participated in USAA’s Manager Candidate School, a leadership program, where a senior vice president advised that to move ahead, Isarraraz diversify her skill set and step out of her comfort zone.

 

“It’s a fast-paced, challenging environment,” says Isarraraz. “Even though I’ve been in the role for five years, I still see things I haven’t seen before. It keeps me on my toes, and I’m never bored.”

 

In a highly regulated industry, a shift in priorities is sometimes required.

 

“We have work that we have to do to be compliant,” explains Isarraraz. “So, we go back and reprioritize. That may mean that some work needs to be slowed down or stopped.”

 

Aside from the ability to explore various career paths, Isarraraz appreciates USAA’s mission to serve its members. “That’s central to all decisions made and provides guidance to employees so we’re all headed in the same direction,” she says.

 

“USAA continues to show how much it values its employees and is focused on trying to keep the workforce engaged and happy,” Isarraraz says. “I love that leadership places a high value not only on members, but employees. That’s what makes us stand out.”

 

Achieving Full Potential At Voya Financial

Kevin Silva wants Voya Financial employees to achieve their full potential.

 

“As a company, we manage two types of capital: financial capital and human capital,” says Silva, Voya’s chief human resources officer. “My role is to ensure that we are creating a collaborative culture that unlocks the full potential of every Voya employee, so they can produce the greatest results for our customers, business partners, and shareholders.”

 

At a high level, Silva says, human resources is about assembling high-performance teams, creating an environment where employees can thrive, providing the resources employees need to accomplish their jobs, and rewarding them for their achievements. This is something he realized earlier in his career.

 

“One of my earliest jobs was in sales and I quickly realized that, as an individual performer, my contributions were important, but also limited to my own capabilities,” notes Silva. “I learned that assembling and developing talented teams provides a true competitive advantage for any business unit or company. So, human resources was a natural fit.”

 

Through the years, Silva has held positions at multiple financial services and consumer goods companies, both in sales and as chief administrative officer. One thing he enjoys about his current role is the variety.

 

“Every day is different,” says Silva, who joined Voya three years ago. “The most rewarding part of my job is the opportunity to encourage people to work together, every day, in pursuit of a common goal.”

 

And the biggest challenge, but one with the greatest reward, he explains, is helping people move beyond what they think they’re capable of.

 

“Watching a person surpass his or her own expectations is extremely gratifying as an HR practitioner,” he says.

 

What first attracted Silva to Voya Financial was the quality of the company’s senior leadership team, and their shared values. In fact, he believes this should be an important consideration as you choose your own career path.

 

“Working for an organization and with people who share your ideals is a conscious decision, and one that should be carefully evaluated by anyone making a change in their career.”

 

In his current role, Silva is also proud to support Voya’s strong commitment to diversity and inclusion; the company received a perfect score on the 2015 Corporate Equality Index, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, and was recognized as a Best Place to Work for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Equality for the 10th consecutive year. Voya is also committed to environmental sustainability efforts and the work of the Voya Foundation, which supports financial literacy and children’s education programming.

 

Silva advises to learn to work cooperatively with others. A cooperative team, he says, “can make a contribution far greater than individuals making their own contributions. Those who work cooperatively are highly regarded among their peers, and sought after within their field.”

 

One of the best things about working at Voya is the excitement of being a “new organization,” says Silva. The company recently divested from its former parent company.

 

“We often refer to ourselves as a 7,000-employee startup,” he comments. “I think that’s the perfect way to capture the excitement we all feel in becoming Voya Financial—to focus all of our energy and attention on our vision to be recognized as America’s retirement company.”

 

Realizing The Dream At Synchrony Financial

If you have a store credit card in your pocket, Alberto “Beto” Casellas might be familiar with it.

 

Casellas is the retail card client initiatives group leader for Synchrony Financial, the largest provider of private label credit cards in the U.S. based on purchase volume and receivables. Synchrony’s cards are issued through retailers such as The Gap, Lowe’s, and Walmart and as co-branded dual cards. In this role, which he took in early 2014, Casellas leads strategic initiatives in three primary areas across Synchrony’s major key clients: growing and innovating in existing business; driving salesforce effectiveness; and supporting business development efforts.

 

Currently, Casellas’s team is looking at how customers engage with the company, particularly in the e-wallet payment options space.

 

“The way we are paying for goods and services is evolving quickly, and we want to provide consumers with a variety of secure and efficient payment options, taking an agnostic view and developing relationships to provide our credit in the wallets our customers want to use,” Casellas explains.

 

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, it was Casellas’s own financial experience that drew him to the industry.

 

“My parents relied on loans to help them plan and make purchases, and to put me through college,” Casellas says. “I’m grateful for the opportunities those financial tools afforded me to get an education and for me to get into a meaningful field.”

 

In addition to retail cards, Synchrony provides financing for an array of consumers’ needs and wants, such as healthcare, furniture, and automotive repair; and savings products.

 

“I truly believe it’s the satisfaction of helping people achieve their dreams, just like my parents did by using credit,” says Casellas, referring to what he loves about his job. “Financing put me through college and helped me develop to realize my potential. I can see that happening for other people. I get to do that every day with great people, in a congenial and collaborative workplace.”

 

One example of this is Synchrony’s ongoing support of the strong affinity network program that started at GE and has transitioned to Synchrony Financial.

 

“My involvement in the affinity networks was a way for me to give back to the company and to other people who have helped me throughout my career,” says Casellas, leader of the Hispanic Forum Network. “Just as we want our customers to engage with us, we also want to engage our employees internally by promoting teamwork, development, and an environment to encourage the exchange of ideas.”

 

To succeed in the financial field, Casellas offers three pieces of advice.

 

First, become a subject matter expert in your field; “nothing trumps competency and knowledge,” he says.

 

Secondly, know how to work with people and mobilize toward business objectives. “You have to be able to work with a broad cross-section of people across many functions as this is really a team sport,” Casellas says.

 

Finally, develop the ability to visualize the future and keep pace with emerging trends, because “our business is evolving rapidly and we can’t sit still.”

 

Casellas offers career advice: “Know your strengths.

 

Be yourself,” he says. “Don’t try to be somebody else. I know where I’m competent and I know where I add value. I also recognize gaps in my strengths and make sure to fill them, rather than trying to do something I don’t know anything about. Ultimately, it’s not about me, it’s about the business. Be credible and always act with integrity.”

 

Managing Wealth At SunTrust

It was the opportunity to help individuals and their families deal with various and complex issues related to managing wealth on a multigenerational basis that drew Manuel “Manny” Perez-Carillo to the field of private wealth management.

 

“I enjoy helping our clients and employees accomplish their goals and objectives,” says Perez-Carillo, executive vice president and division executive for SunTrust Private Wealth Management. “A challenge I face is fully understanding the different dynamics and preferences individuals and families have as it relates to their wealth so I can best advise them.”

 

Perez-Carillo is part of a team that provides wealth management advice and solutions to clients who bring a minimum of $1 to $2 million in investible assets to SunTrust Private Wealth Management in the South Florida market. He has been in the wealth management arena for 33 years, having started his career as a wealth advisor. He brought this experience and knowledge to SunTrust.

 

In addition to working with clients, Perez-Carillo is working to grow SunTrust’s inclusion council and teammate networks as co-chair of the Hispanic Teammate Network, which officially launched in July 2014. Sun- Trust has eight Enterprise Inclusion Teammate Networks and 15 teammate network leads. The purpose of these networks is to connect best practices with employees, clients, and communities as it relates to diversity and inclusion.

 

“What impressed me and ultimately drew me to SunTrust over three years ago was the company’s commitment to always putting the client first,” says Perez. That comes, in part, from SunTrust’s commitment to its principles and purpose of “Lighting the Way to Financial Well-Being.”

 

“Our model is built around collaboration and all employees working together seamlessly to best meet our clients’ needs,” he says. “We combine the capabilities of a global bank with the agility and focus of a Main Street bank.

 

Whether it’s in the field of private wealth management or elsewhere, Perez advises students and young professionals to “always be prepared and do your homework before any important interaction.”

 

Particular to this industry niche, being a great listener and understanding how you can help solve issues the client is facing are important, as is the ability to focus on the client’s priorities to deliver tailored solutions that enable clients to achieve sustainable growth. “Our delivery model is a team-based approach,” says Perez, “and you have to collaborate as one team to support this approach.”

 

A Family Affair At TD Bank

It’s Thiago Góes’s job to ensure that most printed bank communication, from monthly statements to regulatory and compliance statements, is on the mark.

 

“Any letters, notices or statements that go out to our customers go through our team,” says Góes, a business unit application support analyst for TD Bank in West Falmouth, ME. “Every new project is different, and I deal with all lines of business — could be legal, compliance statements — with the end result of making sure we have a final product that meets the expectations of customers and that at the end of the day, we’ve provided legendary experience for the customer.”

 

With the company for ten years in March, for Góes working at TD Bank is a bit of a family affair. Moving from Brazil 14 years ago and to Maine in 2004, Góes’s mother first joined TD Bank, then encouraged her middle son to apply.

 

“Always a good boy, I listened to my mom. And it has been a fantastic experience with many different opportunities,” says Góes.

 

To date, he has worked in eight different departments, each time learning as much as he can about the bank and the financial industry. His older brother also joined the bank about three years ago.

 

Through the years, Góes has held a variety of roles in the company, starting from dispute investigator in the debit card department, then to merchant services, and then call center where being trilingual was an important skill.

 

Starting at the bank right out of high school, Góes knew he wanted to move ahead at the company and was elated to find TD was willing to support him when he started a degree in accounting: “I wanted to speed up my career, so I went back to school,” he explains.

 

In fact, that’s what Góes appreciates most about TD Bank.

 

“They really invest in their employees and want each person to find his or her place,” he says. “They focus on each employee’s development with assistance from leadership. If you’re willing to put in the hard work, TD provides you the resources; the opportunities are endless. Plus, it’s a great culture and great place to work.”

 

Of course, adds Góes, you need to do your part as well.

 

“Motivation and drive are essential in any role, and if you put in the hard work every day, you will be recognized,” he advises. “And keep looking for the things you like to do. When you do that, it’s never boring, and you’re always learning.”

 

With all that TD Bank has provided to Góes over the last decade, he can’t imagine himself working anywhere else.

 

“When people ask what’s next, I’m always proud to say I’m a TD lifer; I have no desire of leaving this company,” he says. “It has been fantastic for me and my family.”