Profile: Lisa Erickson, U.S. Bank

Wealth Management

Q: You’ve been working in the financial services field your entire career. Was this always the plan?

By late high school I knew I would head into the business world, but I was open as far as industry and position. Thus, financial services was not a plan, but has turned out to be a great unexpected blessing!

The journey started at college graduation when I was fortunate enough to be offered an opportunity at Russell Investments doing investment research. I jumped at the chance to gain a wide variety of experience – quantitative and qualitative analysis, research and client facing work, oral and written communication, independent and team assessment, and existing service provision along with new products.

I found such a wealth of opportunity (no pun intended!) that I stayed in the field! I did try to quit at one point when I had my first child and the realization that my travel and management responsibilities might not give me as much time with family as I wanted. But, the great news is this field is flexible enough that if you do a good job, a company can make it work. Russell counter-offered. I will always be glad that I made the choice to stay part-time until I was ready to work full force again.

Q: You were recruited a few years ago not only to U.S. Bank but the Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) region. What mattered most as you were considering the move and what have you discovered about MSP?

I considered both job and family related criteria. On the job side, finding a company and position with growth opportunity, with a collaborative and ethical environment was key. On the family side, being in a great area to raise kids, with good schools, reasonable cost of living, manageable commutes, and people who live out their faith and values was non-negotiable. I found all that in U.S. Bank and MSP!

Typically, when you move to an area, there are expectation resets. I am glad to say my resets have been to the upside. The positive surprises include people who are Minnesota nice through and through (e.g., not just on the surface but down deep), a more beautiful and diverse environment than I expected. I thought it would be hard to compete with the mountains and oceans in Seattle, but we have plenty of beautiful terrain. And there’s a lot of culture – foodies and theatre patrons have at it! I could do without mosquitoes, but I can work around that.

Q: Tell us about your role and responsibilities at U.S. Bank. What have you enjoyed most?

My role at U.S. Bank is to find investment products that will serve our clients well, so that we can help build world class investment portfolios that will meet their unique needs and circumstances. How cool is that?!

Things I love about my job include:

• Getting to scrutinize investment products in which we might place client money – in an evolving global economy and marketplace, it is a challenge and honor to stay on top of new techniques and issues!
• Working with such a talented group of colleagues who truly care about doing the right thing for the client.
• Serving such a thoughtful group of customers, who truly appreciate all that we are doing and who want to serve well in their spheres.

Q: How would you describe the culture at U.S. Bank? Do you see parallels across the broader community here?

U.S. Bank focuses on the win-win for clients, employees, and shareholders by focusing on ethical values and execution, championing prudent risk taking, always innovating and thinking forward, and encouraging collaboration.

MSP is similar in many ways – it is a down to earth community where people care for each other, are humbly confident, and stay in touch with local friends and family while being involved in broader global community of which we are a part.

Q: How have you been able to connect with peers in the broader business community?

The MSP community is genuine in helping people to progress to the next level. When I first arrived, I was positively overwhelmed by folks within U.S. Bank reaching out to help me understand our work, our footprint, and our values. I also benefitted hugely from people who mentored me – spending valuable work hours nurturing and teaching me.

Since that time, I have met others in the broader community and have been grateful for the actions they take to share, teach, and benefit me and each other. I also am part of key financial and leadership groups active in ongoing education and connecting, so that we all can build a better business community to serve clients.

Q: What advice would you give to someone looking to join your field and perhaps even your team?

Always be willing to learn, evolve, and grow! And take advantage of different opportunities and perspectives to connect with others; valuable lessons can come not only from colleagues in your industry and position, but also from unrelated fields and career types. Finally, be willing to try new things! My move to U.S. Bank and to MSP has been extremely gratifying, professionally and personally.