Passport Journeys

Now that Rachel and I have introduced ourselves, I'd like to write about some of the most unique components of the Leadership Program. For me, meeting the leaders of Equity Trust during the "Passport Journeys" that Rachel mentioned has provided some valuable learning experiences. So far, I've met one-on-one with Equity Trust's CEO; the Vice President and Director of Client Services and Operations; the Director of IT; the Vice President of Marketing and Sales; and the Director of Equity University.

In these meetings, I've not only learned about what each leader's department does, but what each leader sees as the future role of the department. This company is growing rapidly and moving quickly toward its goals, and each department plays a critical role in allowing Equity Trust to achieve its vision of being the most valued company in our clients' lives. The leaders of the company's various departments are all very focused on driving our initiatives to upgrade technologies in order to enhance clients' experiences and improve our work processes. Through my discussions with these leaders, I've gained some insight on their leadership styles and how they manage people and projects on a daily basis.

In addition to the Passport Journeys, I've also had the opportunity to read several books as I've gone through the first two rotations as a Leadership Trainee. "Good to Great", a book by Jim Collins about the differences between good companies and great companies, was a nice introduction to the Leadership Program because it correlated with our CEO's ideas about how our company can become even better. After Reading "Good to Great", I read "The Nordstrom Way", by Robert Spector and Patrick McCarthy, which was a great way to learn about customer service excellence while starting my rotation in the Client Services Department. Most recently, I read "Topgrading", by Brad and Geoff Smart. This book was very informative because it describes many of the hiring, coaching, and performance evaluation methodologies used by Equity Trust's Human Resources Department. Overall, these books have helped me stay focused on the company's goals as well as my own as I progress towards a leadership position.

There will be a few more Passport Journeys and another book or two to read in my third and fourth rotations of the Leadership Program, but right now I'm focused on projects that need to be completed before the Client Services rotation ends. Rachel and I have been working closely with the Client Services Management Team on an action plan to maintain excellent customer service during tax season, which is an especially busy season for our company. On that note, I'll get back to work.

Welcome to CST...

My name is Rachel Cain and I, like Colin, am a Leadership Trainee at Equity Trust Company. I started on June 22, 2009 after graduating from Ohio University with a degree in Finance. The first five weeks were dedicated to an intense training program. Within this training I learned about everything from retirement accounts and investments to information about our company and the mission that Equity Trust strives to achieve.

Since training, I have been in the Client Services Department. On a daily basis I take incoming calls from our clients and their representatives to go over procedures for investing and maintaining their self directed retirement accounts. Being on the ‘front lines’ of the company and interacting with our clients has been extremely beneficial to furthering my understanding of what Equity Trust offers and the investments in which clients are currently pursuing. While in this current rotation, I have been working on numerous projects with the CST supervisors and manager in hopes that some of the ideas brought to the table are implemented within the department.

As a leadership trainee, we are participating in a program referred to as the ‘Passport Journey.’ Throughout my first couple of months with the company, I have had the opportunity to meet one on one with many of the members of our executive team. I had the unique opportunity to go out to dinner with the CEO of Equity Trust, Jeff Desich. It is nearly unheard of to find that type of individual attention to a leadership program within a growing company. Along with the CEO, I have met with additional vice presidents and mangers of numerous departments. Through these meetings I have had the chance to learn about specific departments and find out about the vision that these leaders possess. We were even able to go out for a happy hour with some of the executives. Events like these weren't only fun, but they gave me a chance to interact with our company’s leaders outside of the workplace.

Throughout this blog, Colin and I will provide updates in relation to projects we are working on, events that we attend and the every day experiences of a Leadership Trainee at Equity Trust Company.

The First Two Rotations: Investment Training and Client Services

It’s been a fast-paced six-month period in the first two rotations of the Leadership Program, and this blog is our newest project. I’m Colin Trimble, one of the first two Leadership Trainees at Equity Trust Company. My first day of orientation was April 27, 2009, and I spent the next five weeks in investment training. After learning a lot about self-directed IRAs and non-traditional investing, my training class and I moved on to the Client Services Department.

While working with the Client Services Team (CST), I’ve worked closely with our Supervisors and Manager on projects to improve our services to clients, identify areas for improvement, and get a solid grasp of CST’s role within the company. An essential part of my learning experience has been answering clients’ calls about their retirement accounts and investment options. This has given me a thorough understanding of our clients’ experiences and how Equity Trust delivers exceptional client service.

Since the beginning of my experience at Equity Trust, I’ve received great support from people throughout the company. The Human Resources Recruiter who first interviewed me continues to be a helpful resource today, and I meet with the CST Supervisors and Manager on a regular basis to discuss new project ideas and push current projects towards implementation. I’ve also had the opportunity to meet with executives from each department of the company to learn about how they lead their teams and what their staffs do on a daily basis. From discussions with our CEO, Vice Presidents, and Department Managers such as my mentor, the Operations Manager, I’ve developed a good understanding of what it takes to launch a successful career as a leader at Equity Trust.

On the lighter side, I’ve enjoyed the fun activities that Equity Trust hosts on a regular basis. Within a few months of my first day on the job, I joined my co-workers at a Cleveland Indians game, spent an afternoon racing go-karts and hitting baseballs, and enjoyed potlucks, birthday celebrations, and pizza parties. The people here work hard to deliver on Equity Trust’s mission, but they also make a commitment to have fun at the same time.

I’ll follow up soon with more details on my previous and current projects. For now, I’ll pass the baton to my fellow Leadership Trainee, Rachel, to tell you about her experiences at Equity Trust.