As a Personal Advisor Services talent attraction lead, I was excited to coordinate the first event in partnership with two of Vanguard’s crew resource groups (CRGs), the Vanguard Black Professional Network (VBPN) and Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership and Advancement (HOLA). The virtual event took place across our three domestic locations; Pennsylvania, Arizona, and North Carolina. During the hour long session, advisors and managers, who are also members of the CRGs, supported as panelists. The purpose of the event was to introduce Personal Advisor Services (PAS) as a career path to members of VBPN and HOLA who were eager to learn more. The desired outcome was to establish a formal mentorship program for crew, in which they will be paired with an advisor in the same CRG, creating a commonality as the foundation for the relationship.

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!

Vanguard’s PAS and CRG Event

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.