Hosted by the StarTUp at the Armory, the ATHENAPowerLink® Baltimore Women in Business Speaker Series features trailblazers from across Maryland discussing accomplishments, challenges, and insights as women business leaders. This is a great opportunity to connect with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and community members from Greater Baltimore.
On April 18, ATHENAPowerLink® Baltimore held a Women in Finance Panel featuring:
- Janet Currie, president, greater Maryland, Bank of America
- Jen Dardis, chief financial officer and treasurer, T. Rowe Price Group
- Aileen Eskildsen, chief executive officer and managing partner, Ellin & Tucker
- Moderator: Laura Gamble, regional president greater Maryland and territory executive for the northeast, PNC Bank
Each panelist has decades of experience and holds a prominent position in the world of finance in Greater Baltimore. During their discussion, each leader shared stories about what it’s like to be female leaders in a male-dominated industry, how to overcome adversities, find work/life balance, and inspiring more women to work in finance. Here’s just a bit of advice each shared:
I had a wake-up call maybe seven years ago. They (T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.) said, “well, we just want you to know we’re going outside to interview for the role (CFO)”. I had this moment of, oh, I’m not in consideration for the role. I took a moment to process, came back, and said, “I’d like to be in consideration should this role open again.” Three and a half years later the CFO moved on. And I had been doing the work over that three year time frame to be in the position to take over the role.
—Jen Dardis, chief financial officer and treasurer, T. Rowe Price Group
I think for me, one of the biggest obstacles really was around not wanting to relocate. I was asked to move once and I entertained it. I ultimately said no. And I could feel some contraction in my career after that. I have no regrets. So how did I get over it? I think number one, I am 100% confident that I made the right decision. And number two, I was intentional and deliberate about it and what my next steps were and how was I able to navigate them and to control them.
—Janet Currie, president, greater Maryland, Bank of America
No one can take away your integrity but you, and it’s something that you need to protect at all costs and in every situation. … It’s also being at peace with your journey, and giving yourself a break. Guess what? There’s going to be some days where you are the best leader and there’s going to be some days that you’re not. And it’s just owning that and being at peace with who you are and what you’re doing.
—Aileen Eskildsen, chief executive officer and managing partner, Ellin & Tucker
I get a lot of questions about work-life balance from the younger women in our organization. They’re all curious. How do you do it? I really preach against this myth of women having it all because I think it’s a very hurtful myth. You can’t always have it all at the same time. You have to prioritize certain things. I really tell people, you have to think about your priorities and what’s really important to you.
—Laura Gamble, regional president greater Maryland and territory executive for the northeast, PNC Bank
Are you a women-owned business looking for mentorship? ATHENAPowerLink® Baltimore is a yearlong mentorship program, headquartered at Towson University, designed to assist women entrepreneurs with their business. Applications for the program are currently being accepted.
