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Hello! My name is Eric Groesch and I am also a Leadership Trainee at Equity Trust Company. I am a recent graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College with a degree in Business Management. Upon starting in the Leadership Training Program I began June 21st with a five week investment training where I learned about the types of retirement plans we offer, the kinds of investments that our clients make and our company history. The past five weeks have allowed me to get a good grasp of the company, our values, and our commitment to our clients.

To give you a better idea of what the Leadership Program is I will be posting updates on my experiences in the program. The Leadership Training Program is an 19 month journey through the company. The program is split into three, six-month rotations. The first rotation that I have currently started is in our Client Services Department where I will have the opportunity to assist our clients by educating them on our retirement plans and investments as well as work on different projects. After this rotation I will move to our Service Excellence Department where I will be trained in Lean Six Sigma and learn about process improvement and business project management. The third rotation will be my Leadership Rotation in our Operations Department where I will be able to further develop my managment skills.

While going through these three rotations I will also have the opportunity to take part in many different Passport Journeys, where I will have the opportunity to meet with the managers, supervisors, and the CEO of Equity Trust Company. As a part of my first Passport Journey I have been reading the book From Good To Great by Jim Collins. This book highlights the key findings in what has allowed good/average companies to make the leap to a great company.

I am very excited to be beginning my first rotation here in Client Services and I look forward to the many experiences and opportunities I will have along the way!

Welcome to the Leadership Trainee Program!!

Hi! My name is Aurie Watkins and I am the third Leadership Trainee to join Equity Trust Company. I started with the company in January of 2007 in the Operations Department. During my first three years at Equity Trust, I attended classes at Lorain County Community College through their partnership program with Ohio University. In June, 2009 I graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Organizational Communication. I was offered a position in the Leadership Trainee Program in February 2010. At this time, I went through four weeks of investment training where I learned the ins and outs of IRA Accounts, investments, and company history.

After investment training, I was asked to help Human Resources with recruiting over 60 new employees for Equity Trust and Sterling Trust. During this time I assisted with phone screens, conducting skills testing, attending career fairs, and on several cases conduct interviews.

After a month of recruiting, I began my Client Service rotation. During my time in Client Service, I have taken client calls, learned how to handle escalated situations, manage payroll for a team of 14 employees, and learn how to conduct score cards. Coming from an operations background, this rotation has been a great experience for me. Being able to interact directly with the clients has furthered my understanding of the company Core Values and the service Equity Trust has to offer.

Over the last five months, I have had the option to begin my Passport Journey. I have had the opportunity to have lunch with the Vice President and Director of Client Services and Operations, dinner with the CEO, as well as meet with the Vice President of IT and the Director of Equity University. During my time with these individuals I had the unique opportunity to gain valuable insight to what each department does, the future of the departments, and the visions each of these leaders have for the company.

My first five months of the Leadership Trainee Program have been very beneficial and exciting. I am looking forward to meeting with more of the company’s leaders, getting involved in projects, and experience all the opportunities to come my way!