Over the past century, women in business have pushed for continued access and equality when it comes to opportunities for themselves and others in the workforce.
Starting as early as the 1800s, women began to take on more jobs but some fields were not as accessible as others.
In recent decades, especially since the boom of the 1980s, more women have been entering and advancing in the financial world.
Around central Ohio there are countless women working in c-suite positions. More women are among the ranks of chief financial officers and operating officers to presidents and regional presidents. Many of them also work and live in New Albany, bringing their families and expertise with them.
We sat down with a few of these women to share their stories of how they entered the field, what they have learned along the way and seek their advice for future financial administrators.
Lisa Wesolek – Co-Founder and COO of VELA Investments
Though she was born at Riverside Hospital, Lisa Wesolek grew up in Loudonville, about an hour and 20 minutes north of Columbus. Her family moved there after her parents divorced when she was young.
Being raised by a single mother, Wesolek worked very hard to help her family and became the first person in her family to graduate high school.
She eventually returned to central Ohio where she put herself through college, working as a teller along the way, and earned her bachelor’s degree in finance from Franklin University and an executive master’s of business administration from The Ohio State University.
Over the course of her 40-year career, Wesolek has worked at several banks and financial institutions – including some big names like JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Diamond Hill – and held various leadership positions that have shaped who she is today.
Despite having long work days – sometimes waking up as early as 4 a.m. and working until 5 p.m. – Wesolek was always happy to have her husband, Kurt, and their two children, Alexandra and Nicholas, supporting her along the way.
Now that Alexandra and Nicholas are college graduates, Wesolek and Kurt live in Bexley. Wesolek works in New Albany at the investment management firm that she co-founded, VELA Investments.
While Wesolek has learned many things over the course of her career, one lesson she hopes to instill in future financial workers is the importance of and the amount of diverse work in their field.
“There is tremendous opportunity,” Wesolek says. “The field is constantly evolving, (and) there is no shortage of investment products for professionals to find interest and niches. The field will always challenge you intellectually and stimulate your competitive juices.”
Francie Henry – Regional President of Fifth Third Bank
The daughter of two Greek immigrants, Francie Henry grew up in Mount Vernon, Ohio, where she worked at her family’s restaurant.
After graduating high school, Henry was off to Miami University of Ohio where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
During her time at Miami, Henry had originally planned to visit Greece over summer break but chose not to after the Chernobyl disaster devastated much of Ukraine. As fate would have it, that summer she began work as a teller for a local bank where she stayed until college graduation.
At the end of the summer, Fifth Third Bank offered her a full-time job, where she has stayed for more than 30 years. She has held many positions in that time, including marketing coordinator and regional manager, but never let those jobs get in the way of family.
“I never got confused (about) what was the most important for me and that was being present for my family and being present for myself,” Henry says. “The professional journey either had to pause or move sideways or just, you know, take a little bit of a backseat.”
With all the hard work she put in over the years, Henry earned the title of regional president of central Ohio in 2018. But no matter what title she held or how high on the ladder she was, Henry says the relationships she’s built have always been most important.
“As important as it is to build your IQ and your competency, it’s equally important to build and grow relationships,” Henry says. “The relationship with yourself, so you’re very clear in terms of what makes you happy and what you’re good at. The relationship with others that can help you grow and mature, and the relationships that you have with your customers and your communities.”
Henry also recommends to those in the finance industry that their career is a long-term commitment.
“When things aren't working out the way you hoped, don’t go down too low, but don’t let yourself get too high,” Henry says. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
Helga Houston – Chief Risk Officer of Huntington Bank
As the mother of four boys and one girl, Helga Houston says she is “a wife and mother first,” before her job title.
But before she was a mom, Houston was born and raised in Escondido, California.
Houston earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Westmont College in Montecito, California, and a master’s degree from the University of Southern California.
Preceding her roughly 30-year tenure in the financial industry, Houston started her career as a real estate appraiser. As she started asking questions and learning more about how banks and financial institutions worked, she fell in love and knew she wanted to pursue it further.
As her financial career grew, so did the opportunities and the need to relocate. Houston and her family moved a total of four times before they landed in Ohio, where they have lived for the past decade.
Houston has worked for Huntington for roughly 11-and-a-half years, but previously worked for several other companies, including for nearly 20 years with Bank of America.
Looking back over the years, Houston says she is glad she had the support and courage to take on her various jobs. With her experiences, Houston says she has picked up quite a few lessons along the way, too.
She says the relationships you have and the networking opportunities you can create are important, but your most important relationship is with the company you work for.
“Make sure that what you do, and the company for whom you’re working, that it really aligns to your purpose, aligns to what you believe is valuable,” she says.
Rachel Karas is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at rkaras@cityscenemediagroup.com.
