Tag Archive for: VBPN
I approached VBPN and HOLA in 2019 with the idea of hosting an event together after discussing the idea with our Diversity and Inclusion team. I worked closely with the CRG talent attraction leads, Dionne M. from VBPN and Lynnette D. from HOLA. Both women were a pleasure to partner with, and I enjoyed getting to know them on a more personal level during our many thirty-minute checkpoints.
March 18th was set to be the first event across the sites, but as COVID-19 became more prominent in our communities, Vanguard quickly shifted to a work from home environment. We had over 170+ crew registered for the event, and I was determined to not let them down. Just two months later, we reorganized the event to a virtual environment, with even more sign-ups than the first time!
The event brought forth dozens of questions submitted by attendees and candid responses from the PAS panelists. I was so appreciative of the transparent answers which addressed minorities in the industry and demystifying bias in the advisor role. Additional topics of discussion included a day in the life of an advisor, the skills and experience necessary to become an advisor, and the Certified Financial Planner certificate process. Attendees provided positive feedback on the event, expressing, “I enjoyed hearing about the experiences of crew members in PAS as well as what Vanguard is looking for in new advisors. Also, I enjoyed hearing members of the CRGs speak to the importance of creating more diversityat Vanguard.”
The most rewarding part of this experience was the parity created between VBPN, HOLA, and PAS crew. With recent events across country, we can recognize the biases and injustice that still exists. During this event, we created a space for crew to bring their authentic selves and be equally represented at Vanguard, a true testament that our organization is focused on creating a diverse and inclusive environment – something that has felt distant in present-day society. PAS is committed to strengthening our partnerships with the crew resource groups at Vanguard and I look forward to similar events in the months to come.
-Janae F.
I approached VBPN and HOLA in 2019 with the idea of hosting an event together after discussing the idea with our Diversity and Inclusion team. I worked closely with the CRG talent attraction leads, Dionne M. from VBPN and Lynnette D. from HOLA. Both women were a pleasure to partner with, and I enjoyed getting to know them on a more personal level during our many thirty-minute checkpoints.
March 18th was set to be the first event across the sites, but as COVID-19 became more prominent in our communities, Vanguard quickly shifted to a work from home environment. We had over 170+ crew registered for the event, and I was determined to not let them down. Just two months later, we reorganized the event to a virtual environment, with even more sign-ups than the first time!
The event brought forth dozens of questions submitted by attendees and candid responses from the PAS panelists. I was so appreciative of the transparent answers which addressed minorities in the industry and demystifying bias in the advisor role. Additional topics of discussion included a day in the life of an advisor, the skills and experience necessary to become an advisor, and the Certified Financial Planner certificate process. Attendees provided positive feedback on the event, expressing, “I enjoyed hearing about the experiences of crew members in PAS as well as what Vanguard is looking for in new advisors. Also, I enjoyed hearing members of the CRGs speak to the importance of creating more diversityat Vanguard.”
The most rewarding part of this experience was the parity created between VBPN, HOLA, and PAS crew. With recent events across country, we can recognize the biases and injustice that still exists. During this event, we created a space for crew to bring their authentic selves and be equally represented at Vanguard, a true testament that our organization is focused on creating a diverse and inclusive environment – something that has felt distant in present-day society. PAS is committed to strengthening our partnerships with the crew resource groups at Vanguard and I look forward to similar events in the months to come.
-Janae F.
For as long as I can remember, receiving quality education has been a priority in my household. I spent countless hours at my parents’ dining room table working on homework. Even now, my mom regularly tries to convince my 4-year-old son to work on spelling games at the same table. I feel very fortunate to have gotten the opportunity to work with the West Philadelphia Action for Early Learning (AFEL) to help instill this imperative into the children of that community. The organization has two main goals: kindergarten readiness and reading on grade level by the third grade. My colleagues and I were able to support these goals by preparing resource bags for use in classrooms and reading to some of the children from local schools. Beyond the crew that were able to attend, crew from across Vanguard donated over 250 books to help children build their home libraries.
The specific group that supported AFEL is the Vanguard Black Professional Network (VBPN), which is committed to increasing engagement of black crew members and supporting the increased representation of black crew in leadership positions. Having the opportunity to serve with aligned crew in a community that may produce the future of Vanguard leadership was truly a humbling experience.
— Josh C.
VBPN sponsored two MLK Days of Service events in North Carolina at Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina and Classroom Central. Second Harvest is responsible for supplying food throughout a 19-county region of North and South Carolina through a network of over 700 emergency pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and programs for low-income children and seniors. Crew members took time out of their Saturday to help inspect and sort donated food items for distribution to those partner agencies. Classroom Central equips students in need by collecting and distributing free school supplies to their teachers. Eleven Vanguard crew members assisted the organization by die cutting shapes and organizing the overflow of school supplies in the warehouse.
— Ebony B. and Sabrina B.
As a North Caroline VBPN site lead, giving back is extremely important to me. It’s such a rewarding and humbling experience. I’ve been with Vanguard for 21 years and our commitment to our community has never wavered. It is an amazing differentiator, and providing Days of Service so crew can work together to help others is so empowering. As we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black History Month, this resonates with me even more. His commitment to service and helping others was powerful and a major driver in the movement. To be able to not only serve, but honor him and his sacrifice, is humbling. To me, this is what our purpose is about; loving and helping others, and extending your hand to pull others up. That is what service is really about.
— Kenya H.
I am a helper by nature and have enjoyed volunteering for many organizations and causes since childhood. I recently had the opportunity to coordinate an MLK Days of Service volunteer event on behalf of VBPN at Feed My Starving Children (FMSC). FMSC is a non-profit organization that assists in providing rice, soy, dried vegetables, and vitamins and minerals to needy children locally and internationally. Through donations and the efforts of volunteers, FMSC is able to ensure the food is packaged and expedited to hungry kids. On the day of our volunteer event, I was immediately impressed with the FMSC staff. We were warmly greeted and provided with instructions to prepare us for the day.
I appreciated that the FMSC staff emphasized a hygienic environment to ensure the children were not exposed to germs, and we watched a video that included detailed instructions for each food prep station. The staff kept the event light by teaching us fun chants to say when each prep station was able to completely fill a box with food packages. The staff shared with the volunteers that it costs $88.00 to feed one needy child, ALL year! As a parent of two teenagers, that resonated with me. On average, it costs my family more than $88.00 per week in meals. During our volunteer session, we were able to fill 192 boxes with food packages, which will feed 113 children in Thailand and provide 41,472 meals!
When I volunteer, I feel that I benefit from the experience in so many ways. I get to share in the experience with fellow crew and members in our community that also volunteer their time. Volunteering helps me appreciate how fortunate we are and reminds me that by simply providing our time, we are making an impact. A thank you note I once received after donating my time included an impactful quote that sums up my volunteer journey:
“Help one another. There’s no time like the present
and no present like your time.” —James Durst
— Veronica A.
“Vanguard?! You mean the company that manages my retirement savings?” This is the usual response I hear when I tell people where I work now. I have to admit, starting my career as a preschool teacher and social worker seems like a long way from being a crew member at Vanguard. However it’s exactly the base of knowledge and skills I need to serve in my current role as a Program Officer, co-leading the Vanguard Strong Start for Kids™ grant making portfolio.
Where I Started
It was 1996, and I was entering the fall semester of my junior year in college. I’d spent the summer before as a camp counselor at a local child care center in my hometown, and I was just entering my major in early childhood education. I’d gotten a job as a preschool assistant teacher at a child care center not far from my college campus, and I LOVED it. I loved working with the lead teacher to plan lessons that used play as a learning tool, working with families to understand their child’s progress and development, and using what I was learning in my teacher training program to guide how I interacted with the children in my care. I didn’t know then, but those first days in that classroom would set the foundation for my professional career across multiple settings.
After graduating and teaching pre-kindergarten for a while, I moved into one-on-one case management helping low-income families’ access public dollars for child care. From there, I spent several years working at child advocacy organizations helping to shape public policies that benefitted young children and families at the state and federal level. While not exactly the same as a teacher-student relationship, these positions continued to build the foundation of understanding that’s needed to steward philanthropic dollars into the early learning sector.
Vanguard Strong Start for Kids Program
While it seems like my experiences might be far from the core business of Vanguard, they’re actually quite similar. Vanguard’s crew are charged with acting as stewards of our clients’ hopes and dreams through smart, sensible, and aligned investment management. And we also are encouraged to be stewards within our communities, so it made sense that the signature crew and corporate philanthropic program would employ Vanguard’s long-held strategy: investing early pays off later. The Strong Start for Kids mission is to boost kindergarten-readiness for low income young children, primarily within Philadelphia, PA, Charlotte, NC, and Phoenix, AZ (our biggest U.S. sites). Empirical evidence shows that investing in high-quality programs for young children and families in the 0-5 years is necessary for developing educated, healthy, productive citizens that thrive in a global economy.
Equally as important as a long-term societal benefit is the fact that high quality early learning opportunities change the trajectory of individual lives and families. I have seen the impact of high-quality opportunities as an early learning professional and I also see it every day as the parent of two young daughters. Children develop the foundation of their cognitive abilities and character during their first five years. Their brains are literally being built by all of the experiences happening in their lives – good or bad! Nurturing relationships that make children feel safe and loved, while enabling them to experience the world around them, builds stronger brains. By supporting organizations and projects that enhance parent/caregiver skills, improve learning opportunities outside of homes, and coordinate services so that families have easier access, the Strong Start for Kids program works to help young children build the foundation for learning they need to thrive.
I always knew that my life’s calling had to do with educating, empowering, and uplifting young children and their families. I didn’t know that calling would play out like it has and, ultimately, lead me to Vanguard. I’m lucky to work at an organization where my passion for building community aligns with company values.
-Rashanda P.
In his last careers blog, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer Greg Davis uncovered key moments from his time at Vanguard. In this blog, Greg looks back at his upbringing, his early job history, and why he ultimately came to–and stayed at–Vanguard. I was born in Germany and raised in a U.S. military family. We were a multicultural, multilingual family; I spoke German with my mom and English with my dad. Of course both parents understood the other language, so there was no pulling one over on either of them. Both of my parents worked, and I was co-raised by my maternal grandmother who spoke primarily German. My grandmother was an instrumental part of my childhood and spent a lot of time with me at home. The summer before second grade, we moved to the U.S. and settled in South Jersey. Throughout my childhood and young adult years, I looked up to my older brother a lot. He achieved a great deal of success in the field of computer science, and he did it without a college degree. In fact, I’m the first person in my family to attend a four-year college. But because I so admired my older brother, I first decided to follow in his footsteps and start my high school education at a vocational-technical high school, where I could spend half my day working on computers. As I was thinking about college, initially my plan was to study computer science or engineering. Once I arrived at Penn State, I loved the math side of my education but found myself less interested in chemistry and mechanical drawing. As a result, I decided to change direction and focus on studying business. Post-graduation, I went into the insurance industry as an underwriter, followed by a stint as a premium auditor. While both roles were great experiences, I still felt as though there was something else that would be a better long-term fit for me. During these years, I would periodically drive by Vanguard’s campus. Although I never thought of pursuing Vanguard as an employer, I was curious about their trading floor and Vanguard’s approach to investment management. I started researching the markets and the investment side of the insurance industry. I had no idea I was planning my future career. In order to break into the investment side of the business, I realized I had to pursue an advanced degree, so I went back to school to pursue my MBA at Wharton. This afforded me an opportunity for a Wall Street internship in Fixed Income Sales & Trading. Fortunately the internship was successful, and I was able to leverage that experience into a full-time opportunity at a large NYC Investment bank in a Fixed-Income Trading rotational program. My timing wasn’t great, as shortly after starting the program the Asia Financial Crisis swept around the globe, leaving a very significant mark on many of the Wall Street Banks. Our rotational program was abruptly ended and I was placed into a non-trading role and I was extremely unhappy. The truth is, I felt as though I was settling. I decided to start looking at opportunities at other firms. Then a childhood friend, who happened to be a Vanguard recruiter, asked for my resume. I was hesitant at first, but she finally convinced me to meet with a man named Ken Volpert, who at the time ran Vanguard’s bond index team. During the interview, Ken talked about career options, Vanguard’s investment philosophy, and company growth, but it was something else that piqued my curiosity. Ken spoke about how dedicated he is to developing people and how he makes sure his crew get opportunities to learn and grow. At that moment, I knew I wanted to work for him and Vanguard. I started as a trader and quickly saw how my values aligned to Vanguard’s investment principles. Not only had I found a firm whose mission I connected with, but I also discovered how many people advocated for me to get exposure to projects, resources, tools, and new experiences. I loved being part of the trading world–getting involved in the markets, owning something right away and seeing it through to success. As I grew and moved into bigger roles, I was able to then provide personal and professional development skills—those that I learned and admired from Ken—to other crew that I’ve led and mentored. It’s refreshing to see the focus on development come full circle. Because I believe so fervently in developing others–including leaders of leaders–often someone will ask me, “What do you do when someone isn’t performing well?” I advise leaders to start by having an honest discussion with their team member about that person’s performance–what’s not going well, what they need to do to improve, and how you as a leader can support them. There seems to be a misconception that nice cultures don’t give strong feedback, but that’s actually a rather unkind approach. No one should ever have to guess why their career isn’t moving forward. Of course, there were setbacks along the way. I recall a time when our bond index funds experienced a period of substantial underperformance, bonds that we owned were being downgraded to junk (below investment grade credit rating). It’s quite distressing to see something you’re responsible for underperform. Luckily, the team rallied and reengineered our approach to bond indexing. As painful as that experience was, it allowed the team to learn and improve our process, which helped us be well-prepared for the global financial crisis of 2007-2008. That team-focused mentality is why I’ve stayed at Vanguard for over 15 years. In addition to hurdles, there are also moments of pride: watching my team rise through the ranks to become officers and senior leaders. I’ve also loved watching Vanguard grow–adding a personal advisor business and expanding outside the U.S. This means better outcomes for our clients. Moving to the U.S. from Germany–and having to quickly improve my ability to read, write, and speak English–taught me a lesson I’ve carried with me from childhood until now: If you’re comfortable, you’re not growing. You never know, your future just might be in that building you drive by every day.
If you enjoyed this post, check out more from our #LifeatVanguard Blog. And if you’re ready for a more rewarding, engaging, meaningful career, search our opportunities at www.vanguardjobs.com.