The Women in Finance series continues!
Hear from experts and connect with our financial partners – build your network!
Q&A with Heidi ~
Can you share a brief bio? Where are you working now?
I have had a few different finance careers over the past 20 years. I started in investment consulting, working with large institutional clients. From there I became a Chief Compliance Officer, but after rebuilding the firm’s compliance program and going through a successful SEC exam I was ready for something different. After earning my Certified Financial Planner™ certification I am in my favorite role to date at Becker Capital Management as a portfolio manager and wealth planner.
What led you to Finance?
Finance wasn’t something I even knew existed until I went to college. I grew up in rural Montana where finance/investments wasn’t something I was exposed to. I started college thinking I wanted to work in the medical profession, eventually moving over to the business department. My inaugural finance class was the first time in college where I sat up and thought, “now THIS is interesting.” I took every finance class that was offered and haven’t looked back.
Why did you choose UP Pamplin for your MBA /Finance?
I earned my B.S. from Linfield College and was successful there because of the small class sizes and access to professors. The University of Portland offered a similar experience. They worked with me to make sure I didn’t have to re-take any undergraduate classes and the professors were incredibly generous with their time outside of class to ensure that I was grasping new concepts. If I was willing to put in the time and effort, the professors were too.
Advice to someone pursuing a career in Finance?
First, don’t be afraid to change your mind. I’ve had three successful, but very different, careers in finance. This industry has many avenues and it’s important to find the one that makes you happiest. It wasn’t until I became a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and started working with individuals that I found the part of finance and investments that excites me.
Second, it’s important to build a network of trusted people in your finance/work life, essentially creating your own advisory council. This network will prove to be invaluable throughout your career as you need people to bounce ideas off, receive advice from and assist in navigating difficult issues. As women, we tend to focus on having women mentors, but I think having male mentors or advisors is equally important in this male dominated industry.
Finally, for people younger or new to finance, do some informational interviews with people working in different types of finance. Find out what they like or don’t like, what tips they have and what their career paths have looked like so you can start to narrow down what you would find interesting for a career. I’ve never met anyone who said no to an informational interview. It’s a great way to gather information and to start building that network.
Connect with Heidi ~
Questions? If you want to reach out to Heidi, please email – hgoertzen@beckercap.com