Executive vice president and head of talent planning and development, Wells Fargo & Co., 420 Montgomery St., San Francisco 94104, 415-371-2980, wellsfargo.com
Age: 52
Residence: Novato
Professional background: I currently lead the corporate center of excellence for leadership and professional development, the enterprise office for talent planning, enterprise learning administration and team member engagement. I am responsible for developing and implementing the strategies, programs and infrastructure to support development, engagement and effectiveness of Wells Fargo leaders.
[caption id="attachment_94234" align="alignleft" width="245"] Cara Peck[/caption]
I have worked in the financial services arena for more than 25 years and with Wells Fargo since 1999. Prior to joining Corporate Human Resources in 2011, I was head of Intermediary Sales for Wells Fargo’s Asset Management Group, and president of Wells Fargo Funds Distributor, where I was responsible for the distribution of mutual funds through national, regional and independent broker/dealers. Previous to that, I led the Marketing and e-Business team for Wells Fargo Funds Management.
Education: I have a bachelor’s degree in business management from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California. I’ve previously held FINRA 24, 7 and 63 licenses.
Is there a major accomplishment in the past year or so that you would like to share? The progress we have made around team member development and engagement. By aligning the enterprise around a more efficient development approach (that focuses on delivering a consistent and compelling experience to team members) we saw a 12% increase in the number of engaged team members – driven largely by indicators specifically focused on development. In addition, we strengthened our leadership capabilities through a strengths-based development approach rooted in a common leadership model; Lead Yourself, Lead the Team, and Lead the Business. And, for the first time as a combined company, Wells Fargo received the 2013 Gallup Great Workplace Award which annually recognizes the most engaged and productive companies in the world.
What is the achievement you are most proud of? Women’s issues are important to me, in particular improving the fiscal well-being of women. I created a program called “Money Matter’s at Every Stage” to help women expand their investment confidence. I have given the seminar to hundreds of women over the past decade and it has made an impact. Women need to feel confident about taking control of their finances and developing acumen to help them be fiscally strong. It is critically important that women understand the drivers of financial success because we live longer, we make less money, and we step out of the workplace more often than men to either care for children or aging parents.
What is your biggest challenge today? Balancing it all – between work, family, community involvement and personal time, it can be challenging.
Words that best describe you:Enthusiastic, passionate, approachable and transparent.
As a successful female professional, what were the biggest obstacles you faced and how did you overcome them? Making sure my voice was heard. I spent a great deal of my career in the asset management business which is predominately male. Early on in my career I was quiet because I was young and thought the best approach was to observe, but I soon learned it was important (personally and professionally) that I brought my voice and ideas to the table. It wasn’t easy at first but by doing it consistently it had a great impact on my confidence and career and hopefully has influenced other female professionals to model that same behavior.
How do you think your profession will change in the next five years? As the economy continues to recover competition for talent will be fiercer. Ensuring that our employee value proposition appeals to multiple generations because a critical driver in solving current and future business challenges is ensuring there are diverse perspectives at the table.
Who was your most important mentor? And tell us a little bit about that person: I can’t really point to just one person. I have had many different mentor relationships during my career. I look at all of my relationships as an opportunity to learn. I have found value in traditional mentor relationships as well as peer-to-peer mentoring, but I think the place I have gained the most insight is when I mentor people who are different than me.
What advice would you give to a young woman entering your profession or the work world today? Negotiate your worth. Unfortunately pay inequity is still an issue, even with recent college graduates. Just think about the compounding effect of starting off at lower salary over a career span, it is huge. Also, speak up and make sure your voice is heard.
Most admired businessperson outside your organization: Warren Buffett-he is brilliant and pragmatic and acts with a deep sense of societal accountability.
Current reading: I always read two books at a time: I am currently reading, This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women and The Flame Throwers.
Most want to meet: If you asked me a month ago I would have said Maya Angelou. Today I would say Malala Yousafzai. I admire and am inspired by people with courage.
Stress-relievers: Okay this might sound strange but music and silence, each brings a different relief.
Favorite hobbies: I am a foodie so I like to cook, I like to take cooking classes and I like to eat great food at different restaurants all over. I love to travel, so it is great if I can combine them both like I did last summer in Paris! I am a great fan of music (all genres), I have a vast collection of CDs and vinyl and I love to see live music.
