Eau Claire, Wisconsin for a week in January, Super Bowl in frigid Minneapolis, March madness and broken brackets, a week frozen solid in Rochester, New York, a bitter cold St. Patty’s, half a foot of snow on Easter (courtesy of Mother Nature and her cruel April Fool’s joke), sweaters and umbrellas at The Masters. “Cummon’ man!” It’s been a long Winter and even a longer Spring!
They say the best three things about Chicago are June, July, and August. “Summertime Chi” is no joke…the lake, Lollapalooza, Navy Pier, Millennium Park, River North’s amazing food and rooftop bars, Wrigley Field! Chicago will always have a “warm” spot in my heart. I proposed to my wife in Chicago almost eight years ago, recalling distinctly my stuttering mutter-mash proposal in a horse drawn carriage along the Magnificent Mile (practice does not make perfect, but she said “yes!”). Little did I know at that time my banking career would start just several years later in Chicago and that we’d be in a long-distance relationship for the better part of a year. It was a difficult, yet defining time of my life. Adjusting to my career change, life in the big city, and most difficult, almost 200 miles separating the two of us.
So it’s quite fitting that in just a few days Chi-town will host Baker Hill Prosper 2018 where I’ll be leading a breakout session discussing industry topics around managing change. As we see our industry morph at record speed, Thomas Bennett, SVP at Rabobank and I will uncover ways to embrace and leverage change, drive engagement, create positive momentum, and enhance the client experience. Our discussion will arm you and your respective financial institutions with best practices around portfolio segmentation, strategic and structural alignment, creating an environment for change, and even a deliberation of common pitfalls to avoid when leading strategic change initiatives.
While it may be a stretch to call early May “Summertime Chi,” Baker Hill clients and strategic partners from across the country will converge on the city for three days of camaraderie, knowledge sharing, collaboration, and of course, plenty of fun. Go Cubbies!
