Leadership and Business

You’re familiar with the stories of lottery winners and athletes suddenly coming into large, life-changing sums of money. It happens to entrepreneurs and professionals who sell their businesses as well. Sudden wealth not only changes the individual’s financial situation, but it has the potential to greatly impact other aspects of their lives. Biff Baker is Managing Director and Senior Wealth Manager at MAI Capital Management. He’s spent his career helping clients reach their financial goals. On a recent visit to William & Mary’s School of Business, he joined us on the podcast to talk about sudden wealth, goal setting, and the importance of working with the right team of advisors.  Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

The role of the CEO: In this particular case, it means leading a complex global organization. One with employees all over the world, interacting with a robust board, and countless other stakeholders. For Dan Draper, the CEO of S&P Dow Jones Indices, the job means that, and more. Earlier this month, Draper was the keynote speaker for “From Dog Street to Wall Street,” an annual event hosted by the Boehly Center for Excellence in Finance at William & Mary School of Business. Afterward, he joined us to discuss the many aspects of the CEO’s role, including stakeholder management, understanding the importance of data, and doing things the right way. Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

The students are back on campus at William & Mary, but before classes began, the new students at William & Mary’s School of Business participated in orientation activities where they heard from employers, alumni, and others. Michelle Avery, Senior Managing Director at J.S. Held, a global consulting firm known for its expertise in forensic accounting and litigation consulting, spoke with the new students in the Masters of Accounting Program. She shared advice about successfully launching a career, she discussed forensic accounting and leadership, and she talked about the relationship between passion and success.  Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

Tatia Granger, a clinical associate professor at William & Mary’s School of Business, shares her insights on effective teamwork. She discusses the surprising benefits of collaboration, revealing studies that show teams often outperform individuals in decision-making. Granger highlights the importance of leadership in unstructured teams, especially in remote settings, and emphasizes the role of team coaching in enhancing performance. She also explains how to maximize team meetings as networking opportunities to foster collaboration and achieve clear outcomes.

Cate Faddis is in the midst of an interesting career and journey. She has spent over 25 years in investment management and financial services, working as a managing partner at Mason Capital Partners, and President and Chief Investment Officer at Grace Capital. Early in her career she spent time with Deloitte and Putnam Investments. Today she’s a portfolio manager for Zevin Asset Management. A William & Mary graduate who went on to earn her MBA at Harvard Business School, Faddis spoke at the annual Women’s Stock Pitch, hosted by the William & Mary School of Business and its Boehly Center for Excellence in Finance in April. Before speaking with students, she spoke with us about, among other things, her interesting journey, leadership, and how to build confidence. Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

The intersection of finance, technology, and the future are the focus of a new book, titled “From Hoodies to Suits: Innovating Digital Assets for Traditional Finance.” The book just released this month bridges the gap between the hoodies - who invented the technology behind the digital assets - and the suits who run traditional financial markets. Annelise Osborne is the book’s author. A William & Mary graduate who went on to earn her MBA at Columbia, Osborne spoke at the annual Women’s Stock Pitch, hosted by the William & Mary School of Business and its Boehly Center for Excellence in Finance in April. After speaking with students, she sat down with us to discuss hoodies, suits, and the future of finance. Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

Last month, the William & Mary School of Business and its Boehly Center for Excellence in Finance hosted the annual Women’s Stock Pitch competition where 24 teams consisting of undergraduate women from the world’s top universities competed, networked, and learned. One of the keynote speakers for the event was Lisa Petrelli, managing director, acting country head, and head of global markets for Canada at UBS. A board member for 100 Women in Finance, Petrelli has 25 years of experience on Wall Street. After delivering her keynote, she sat down with us to talk about a variety of subjects pertaining to Wall Street and leadership. More specifically: the diverse backgrounds of her peers, the markets, and the one constant - change.  Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

We interact with it on a regular basis; some of us daily, some weekly. Whatever the frequency, it’s a major part of life and spending. Retail. Whether it’s discount stores, department stores, online or brick-and-mortar, retail is a massive sector. And for the most part, since the beginning of the pandemic, things have been good for retailers. For much of his career, Greg Melich has studied and analyzed retail. He’s partner and Senior Managing Director at Evercore, a global independent investment banking advisory firm. On a recent visit to William & Mary, he sat down with us to discuss the state of retail, the hot topics, and where things are headed.  Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

The adoption of artificial intelligence and generative AI is moving so quickly. Leaders, companies, and organizations are working to determine how AI can best help them, their employees, their customers, and others. And while the work continues, some organizations have found the sweet spot: developing ways AI and employees work together to provide outstanding customer service by using the best of technology and people. One of those organizations is the financial services firm Edward Jones. Zar Toolan is Principle, Wealth Platforms, Data, and AI for Edward Jones. He recently visited the William & Mary School of Business to talk with students. Then he talked with us about artificial intelligence and leveraging AI to build better connections. Learn how the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at William and Mary can help you and your organization develop your top talent through customized executive education and professional development programs. Visit us at www.wmleadership.com. Thank you for listening.

Sean McDermott, head coach of the Buffalo Bills and William & Mary graduate, shares his insights on principled leadership rooted in empathy and humility. He discusses the journey from player to coach, emphasizing the impact of mentors and culture in building a successful team. McDermott highlights the emotional challenges of coaching, especially during critical moments, and the importance of player well-being. He also offers valuable advice for young leaders on cultivating their skills for future success while embracing diverse perspectives in teamwork.