Students looking to build a career in finance gathered to hear from veteran banker Angel Medina, Jr. (BBA ’92, MBA ’12), who emphasized the importance of relationships, self-awareness and leadership during a networking event sponsored by the Financial Management Association (FMA) student chapter at FIU Business in February.
The former executive vice president of First National Bank and Iberiabank, and former president and CEO of Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust, shared lessons learned with some 75 students. “Forge relationships, don’t be afraid, take risks, go for opportunities when they present themselves,” Medina said. “We don’t learn from our successes; we learn from our failures.”
Medina entered the banking industry by happenstance, taking a job at a small community bank at age 16 because his other option was pumping gas at the local station. “Life is about opportunities, and how you embrace those opportunities is what you will ultimately make of yourself,” Medina said.
One strategy that has yielded numerous opportunities, he said, is civic involvement. The former chair of the FIU Business Dean’s Council has served as vice-chair of the Public Health Trust of Dade County and chair of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, among other roles.
“I’ve done these things to help our community, to network within our community, and to build relationships because relationships are critical,” Medina said. “It sure helps when someone opens the door, and throughout my entire career, I found someone opened the door and gave me the opportunity – and I jumped on it.”
Continuously learn new things so you can rise above the competition in an industry filled with qualified and ambitious people, Medina advised. Even more, he said, play the long game. “You can’t always be asking what’s in it for me now, but rather, invest in yourself,” Medina said. “You have to be willing to see the opportunity, have the vision of where that could take you, and accept what may not be the most equitable for you at this time.”
Medina, fielding questions from eager students, said real leaders share success and own failure, and they communicate their vision of where they want to go. He emphasized the importance of emotional intelligence.
“Understand how you are perceived,” he said. “Seek others’ opinions on how you can communicate better. Pause and think, please, before you speak, write, text or call. Too often, people are eager to get things done and too quick to say something they might regret.”
Deanne Butchey, co-faculty advisor of FMA chapter and professor of finance expressed gratitude. “Angel has a huge network of very influential people in South Florida who hire our graduates, and he lends expertise to our students in all of the financial services fields.”