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January 15, 2020/in Advice from crew, Diversity & inclusion, Our mission all buckley, co-executive of leap, diversity, expertise, future, future of work, group, ideas, inclusion, institutional investor, institutional investor group, investor group, jean, jean lu, leap, lu, tasks, tim, tim buckley, vanguard /by ldoyle

Leadership and Engagement for Asian Professionals banner art

The Future of Work

There are many anticipated advances that will change the way that we do business. Speculation and ideas about what will shape the future of investing can bring fear or excitement to the industry. Vanguard’s Crew Resource Group, Leadership and Engagement for Asian Professionals (LEAP), held a Q&A session with Vanguard’s CEO, Tim Buckley, and a Principal of the Institutional Investor Group, Jean Lu, on how cultural and technological differences make an impact on ongoing and future ways of working, both at Vanguard and within the industry.

(Left to right) John Ameriks, Jean Lu, and Tim Buckley discuss Future of Work

In the opening remarks, Jean Lu reminded everyone that approaching cultural differences can be an opportunity to challenge the status quo. Although difficult, addressing the uncomfortable aspect can provide a new perspective to everyday operations.

As one of the department heads of the Institutional Investor Group and a co-executive of LEAP, Jean discussed her experiences receiving difficult questions about diversity and shared that when we speak up, we become advocates for diversity and bring value and new ideas to light. She referenced a quote from Verna Myers, Vice President of Inclusion Strategy at Netflix, who noted, “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance,” to highlight the importance of what we can do to increase diversity, inclusion, and intersectionality in the workplace. Jean later added, “Diversity matters because embracing different cultures give us a competitive edge. It’s my fiduciary duty to share my perspective, even if it’s uncomfortable.”

Tim Buckley also made it clear that diversity plays an integral part in the future of Vanguard. Tim elaborated, “If we listen to each other, we can learn from each other and build on ideas.” As an example of this type of collaboration, he described how Vanguard’s economics team brings together regional expertise from Europe, Australia, Hong Kong, and the U.S. to ensure our research and analysis presents a global picture of the trends investors need to know about.

One trend our economists have an eye on is how technology will impact the future of work. With the rise of automation and artificial intelligence, Tim reminded the room of the distinction between tasks and jobs. Many rote, repetitive tasks can be automated, which means that jobs will rely more on human creativity and problem solving. At Vanguard, we’ll need both technical expertise and what our researchers call “uniquely human tasks” to serve clients well. Jean added that the “. . . need for tech acumen and expertise will only increase. Our ability to go deep is important.”

LEAP holds events throughout the year to participate in meaningful and impactful conversations. John Marcante, co-executive of LEAP, shared that LEAP impacts the workplace by “providing a network of support, development, and empowerment,” and urges that we “Get involved. Dig deep. Ask hard questions. It takes courage. That’s what leaders are made of. It’s about talking about intersectionality.”

—Bridget K.

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The end of the year is often a time to reflect on all that’s been accomplished in the last twelve months. We pulled together the top four career stories from 2019. Whether it’s your first read or you’re revisiting a favorite, we hope you enjoy!

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When working in finance isn’t always for finance majors

Annsley opens up about her voyage to Vanguard after college. “To say I was hesitant to join the finance industry is an understatement. Much of my college education was focused on classes like organic chemistry and biomechanics. But my friend assured me that my passion to help people live a better life directly aligned with Vanguard’s mission. With his support along with my family, I took a giant leap of faith, and I couldn’t be happier that I did.”

What a career as a financial advisor looks like at Vanguard

Vanguard’s financial advisors are using time-proven investment methodology to offer investment solutions that lead our clients confidently toward their business or personal financial goals. In this series, our financial advisors share their personal experiences in pursuing a career in this field and the impact they’ve had in driving successful investment results for clients.

Family comes first

Kristen shares a personal story about how Vanguard allowed her to focus on family during a difficult time. “While my personal life was turned on its head, a new leader was assigned to my team. I was experiencing changes both at Vanguard and in my personal life. My first one-on-one was conducted through video conference from my parent’s house. It was during that conversation I finally said the words out loud…my mom had cancer. Not knowing how my new leader would respond, I waited. He took a moment and said, “Family comes first,” a concept I heard Vanguard was known for but never experienced firsthand.”

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Transforming the world of advice

November 15, 2019/in Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Our mission advisor, learn, transforming, transforming the world, vanguard, world /by ldoyle

Transforming the world of advice

“Vanguard has been transforming the world of investing for over four decades and we are in the early years of transforming the world of advice.” – Claire M., Principal, Personal Advisor Services

Watch this video to learn more about how our advisors make a difference in their clients’ lives and put investors first.

Click here to learn more about financial advisor opportunities at Vanguard.

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Making a difference across multiple regions

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Making a difference across multiple regions

Vanguard believes that being a global leader also means being a local leader. Through volunteer Investment Committees, The Vanguard Group Foundation is making grants in the regions around the world that we call home. The Vanguard Gives Back Hometown Grants Program is charged with funding pressing, local human services needs and working with nonprofit partners that contribute to the vibrancy of the community. The program is fueled by crew volunteers who commit two years of service dedicated to learning about the nonprofit sector, philanthropy, and the local community landscape.

In this blog, we asked three Vanguard leaders to write about their experiences in serving as site leads for the Hometown Grants Program. The combined efforts of these leaders and their teams have placed $2.3 million into local organizations over their two-year commitment. Here is what Amanda M. from Arizona, Ed F. from North Carolina, and Steve H. from Pennsylvania, had to say:

Vanguard has long had a culture around community that you are no stranger to, what drew you into this particular opportunity with Hometown Grants?

Ed: Hometown Grants enabled me to take my passion for impacting our local community to a much deeper, grass-roots level. Having previously been involved in Vanguard Gives Back initiatives in Charlotte, including leading our workplace giving campaign and our volunteer efforts, Hometown Grants provided an opportunity to start-up a hyper-local focused program from scratch, which is pretty cool. While we were provided with some loose guardrails and guidelines, we were also given a significant amount of autonomy to figure out the best strategy that would have meaningful impact in the Charlotte community.

Steve: In 2012, I had the honor of serving as the lead for the crew fall charitable giving campaign. Not only did that experience tap into my longstanding passion for service, it opened my eyes to the incredible impact Vanguard can have in the community. I was very excited about the Hometown Grants program because it was yet another way to harness the energy and passion of Vanguard crew to make a meaningful difference in our communities, but I was also intrigued by the entrepreneurial nature of this new venture.

What skills have you developed through your participation in this initiative and how have you applied these skills both inside and outside of the office?

Amanda: Debating which organization to fund can be a sensitive and emotional topic. My peers and I all have preferences on which charitable cause is the most important and those often differ from the priorities of others. Plus, when you find so many organizations doing great work, it can be hard to reduce the list to a manageable few. Learning how to listen with empathy and understanding was critical to ensure each team member was heard and team health remained strong. Outside of work, it has given me a platform to talk to my kids about philanthropy. Now, when we debrief our day at the dinner table, I am talking to them about organizations I went to visit or work that is being done in the community. It’s been rewarding to talk to them about the importance of giving back and about some of the neat initiatives that are happening in our neighborhood.

Ed: Most importantly, I gained a deeper understanding of the Charlotte community and the critical issues our city is facing. Upward mobility remains a challenge even as Charlotte continues to have one of the highest rates of highly educated new residents moving to our city. I have met and learned from some very influential non-profit partners who provide critical services in our community often with few resources or limited budgets. I am looking forward to continuing my work post-Hometown Grants, whether it be through volunteerism or board involvement. Hometown Grants also enabled me to hone my leadership and finance skills as we have conducted research, reviewed non-profit financials and tax-filings, and conducted on-site visits to select the non-profit agencies we partner with.

What has been the biggest takeaway in serving as a site lead for the program?

Amanda: There is always a need for more work to be done in the community than there are hours in the day to support or dollars to fund. It is not hard to find an important cause that will improve our community. The hard part is prioritizing which organizations to focus on. It took a lot of time to research, really get to know these teams and the impact they are trying to make. Then ultimately determining where we could have the biggest impact. And there is no “right” answer. It is only part science, the rest is art.

Steve: In the past two years, the work of the Hometown Grants team exposed us to countless organizations that are making an incredible difference in communities. There are so many worthy, effective, innovative charitable organizations out there doing great work, we could have funded many more groups than we were able to. But I believe our team did a tremendous job of honing in on the key organizations that both had amazing impact and could best benefit from the dollars we had. The most rewarding parts of the job were when we heard the profound gratitude from these groups for our contributions, and the excitement they expressed about how they were going to put the money to work. You feel the very tangible benefit of all the hard work the committee put in.

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Advertising…at Vanguard??

September 18, 2019/in Culture, Day in the Life, Our mission Mid-level specialist /by fanwar

Advertising…at Vanguard??

Meet Bonnie D. She is an Advertising Manager who did not expect to find herself in the financial services industry. Now after having spent a number of years in creative roles at Vanguard, one thing she says she never takes for granted: “I laugh every single day.”

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Remembering Vanguard’s heritage through our History Center

August 7, 2019/in Our mission blog, business, center, center collects, collection, crew, first index, fund, fund reports, history, history center, investment, preserve, reflect, reports, started, story, time, vanguard, vanguard's history /by fdoerr

Remembering Vanguard’s heritage through our History Center

May 1^st marks 44 years since Vanguard opened for business. In this blog, we take some time to reflect on the past four decades with a virtual tour of Vanguard’s History Center.

Vanguard was started as a bold experiment – a firm built solely for the benefit of investors, not outside owners. Since the mid-1970s, we’ve remained steadfast to our investment philosophy and guiding principles. When a company has existed for over forty years, it’s bound to have accumulated some interesting artifacts. These can be fun treasures, like celebratory photos, or service awards, but may also include business data, fund reports, and employment documents. Unfortunately, over time, these relics can get lost, thrown away, or just physically fall apart.

The Vanguard History Center is changing all of that.

Established in 2014, the History Center is Vanguard’s corporate archive. They acquire and preserve items that tell the Vanguard story: both its origins, and its evolution. In addition, the Center collects original records that reflect our broad range of products, services, and other offerings. A staff of archivists gathers and conserves items, in addition to promoting awareness about Vanguard’s heritage, answering reference questions concerning Vanguard’s history, and delivering educational presentations about the Center’s work.

The collection currently includes business reports, marketing materials, advertisements, photographs, and objects. Assistant Archivist Kate F. observes, “One of the most valuable items archived in my opinion is documentation from the early days of the world’s first index mutual fund – the First Index Investment Trust – which was launched by Vanguard in 1976. These materials possess a wealth of intellectual value and are of central importance to telling Vanguard’s unique story.”

And thanks to donations from current and former crew, the collection is always growing. Here are just a few of the items crew can find there:

But this work is about more than just finding cool pieces, although it can be neat to see a handwritten letter from Jack Bogle to the crew. It’s about sustaining knowledge management, and ensuring we have all the resources and research to support any business need. The Center has provided fund reports for advisors, investment commentary for research projects, and resources to onboard new or transitioning crew. Archivist Emily C. explains, “Like a museum, the History Center collects items. The end goal, however, isn’t to craft flashy exhibits or displays. We’re building a resource. Crew use the body of information we collect to fulfill information needs.”

The collection connects crew around the globe with our culture and rich history.

It captures crew stories and achievements. And it reassures both clients and crew that we have a process in place to preserve those things that may otherwise disappear forever. The History Center’s motto is, “Preserving the past to support the future.” It’s a great reminder of the progress we’ve made, the goals we’ve achieved, and the evolution of our business. Most importantly, it demonstrates that we have never and will never waver from that mission we started way back in 1975.

Emily shares, “The coolest thing I’ve discovered isn’t in the collection, but about Vanguard – seeing just how deep the crew’s passion for Vanguard and our mission runs.”

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.

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Serving families who have served for us

I left the military three years ago, nine years after taking my first Oath of Office. Transitioning from serving in an organization that was so core to my identity turned out to be no small task. Over the next two years in business school, I often wondered if I would be able to find that sense of service in my future workplace. When I came to Vanguard after graduation, I quickly found my answer.

VetsConnect Joins Forces with ACP
Shortly after coming aboard, I was asked if I would be interested in working to stand up a new partnership with American Corporate Partners (ACP), a nonprofit aimed at pairing corporate leaders with veterans transitioning to the private sector. The goal of the partnership was to respond to the broader desire of the Vanguard community to more visibly support our nation’s veterans. The VetsConnect / ACP partnership would act as a gateway to connect Vanguard Crew with service members outside the organization.
I had familiarity with ACP, as I had taken part as a protégé (mentee) myself during my transition out of the military. This opportunity would now allow me the chance to give back on the corporate side of the relationship. Needless to say, I was ecstatic.

Crew Respond in a Big Way
Our first priority was to create a community of corporate mentors here at Vanguard. Initially, we were hoping to identify a total of fifty crew members who would like to take part. Within the first day of sign ups we had exceeded our initial goal, and by the end of the week we had more than 90 mentors involved. In fact, after benchmarking against other corporate sign up rates, Vanguard crew were 23x more likely to sign up to mentor a veteran. This tremendous response was an incredible testament to the authenticity of the culture, and I was able to witness firsthand something I had heard a lot about as a new hire: Vanguard’s commitment to mission and willingness to give back.

White House Military Spouses Summit
Several months later, ACP was invited to attend a Military Spouses Summit at the White House. Representing Vanguard, I traveled to Washington DC along with representatives from 45 other businesses to discuss the unique employment challenges that military spouses face. At present, there are more than 600,000 military spouses and 16% (4x the national average) are unemployed. They face a myriad of unique challenges, including a lack of license and certification transferability across state lines and fragmented resumes due to constant relocation and deployments. Our goal was to ask how corporations and non-profits could help. How can we do more? What opportunities exist? The chance to work with corporate partners to address (and continue addressing) these questions is an extremely rewarding experience. For me, it represents an evolution of my desire to serve, aided by the mission and crew of Vanguard. Although I no longer serve on active duty, I’m extremely proud to say that I work at Vanguard, where we serve families who have served for us.

– Bill F.

ACP: https://www.acp-usa.org/

Additional testimonials from ACP protégé’s and Vanguard mentors

“The program helps our organization as it helps veterans – win/win. The matching of protégé to mentor is quite good and the seamless accountability is a big plus!”

“I think the connection is great. I wish I had the same kind of opportunity when I departed active duty back in 2011 and could have skipped some of my early mistakes in my civilian career. You don’t know what you don’t know and it’s easy for veterans just to take the path of least resistance without being challenged by someone who is already there.”

If you’re seeking an environment where you can make a difference and develop professionally, check out our opportunities at www.vanguardjobs.com.

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