 When
Jigsey Ramirez Morgan began her career in banking 15 years ago while still
a junior in high school, opportunity meant being able to go to work and
do a job she enjoyed. Like many other high school students, it was fun
to be able to make some money while exploring a possible career choice.
What she didn't realize until she joined Old Kent Bank almost eight years
later were the real opportunities for personal development and career advancement
that the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based company offers.
Once there though, it didn't take long before she understood
that with a little vision and a lot of hard work, she could create a future
for herself at the $15 billion corporation that she might only have dreamt
of as a young Hispanic girl growing up in the developing western Michigan
city.
After high school, Morgan attended Michigan State University
for one year and then transferred to Davenport College where her interest
in banking led to a degree in Business Administration. "Having worked in
banking in high school and during college, I realized that I enjoyed the
operations aspect of business. In that way, my career influenced my education,"
she says. After graduation, Morgan knew she wanted to return to Grand Rapids
and in January 1991, she took a job with her hometown bank as Adjustment
Supervisor in the Corporate Operations area. "Having worked for a competitor,
I'd heard a lot about Old Kent and the opportunities they offered," she
says. "Plus, being from Grand Rapids, just about everyone I knew did their
banking there. It was easy to decide to work here."
Within a year and a half
Morgan was promoted to Adjustment and Photostat Manager and was made an
Officer. In March 1993, she was named Branch Operations Officer and was
given the responsibility of heading up a project to centralize the bank's
branch operations. She became an Assistant Vice President in 1995 and in
1996 became IDS/CIS Group Leader in Product Support. Today, Morgan is Assistant
Vice President in Project Management responsible for managing strategic
projects for the bank's various lines of business along with special projects
such as the Year 2000 issue.
"I enjoy making things better
and easier," she says about her current job. "Even though those things
aren't necessarily directly related to banking, the support and training
I've received from Old Kent have allowed me to keep growing professionally
so that even though I'm not a banker by definition, I've been in banking
for 15 years."
Morgan's career path is
not an unusual one at Old Kent. With a job list as wide-ranging as the
product lines it offers, Old Kent offers unlimited
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opportunities.
Currently, Old Kent employs approximately 5,000 people in more than 230
banking offices, 130 mortgage offices, a nationwide network of insurance
offices and its brokerage services affiliate. In addition, opportunities
exist in core banking areas such as corporate operations, finance, human
resources, marketing and technology.
"One of the things I've
learned," she says, "is that Old Kent just doesn't give you promotions,
you have to earn them. If you're willing to work hard, the rewards will
be there."
Another way employees lives
are enriched by Old Kent is through community involvement. As a vital member
of all the communities it serves, the bank encourages employee involvement
in activities, organizations and events that add value and increase the
quality of life for the employee and the community. In the past, Morgan
has served on the board of the local YWCA and she currently tutors and
mentors students through a partnership Old Kent has with a Grand Rapids
elementary school, an endeavor made even more special because she attended
the school from first through fifth grades and grew up in its neighborhood.
In addition, Morgan has
worked with the bank to better serve its Hispanic customers. She spearheaded
an initiative to increase Old Kent's Hispanic customer base through forums
with area Hispanic leaders, the addition of a Spanish option to ATM screens
and the development of Spanish product brochures in markets with high Hispanic
populations. She's also been called upon for an occasional interpretation
job. "Sometimes someone in the bank needs something translated or a Spanish
speaking customer needs help, and I'll get a call from someone in the bank
who knows me. I'm always glad to help out," she says.
With Morgan's help, Old
Kent has also increased it's recruitment of Hispanic employees for positions
throughout the company. Pick up a Hispanic newspaper in almost any Old
Kent market and you're likely to find a help-wanted ad for anything from
an Old Kent Branch Manager to a Mortgage Officer.
Like Old Kent, Morgan doesn't
place limitations on herself as a Hispanic woman. "The most important thing
is to be aware of all the opportunities that are out there. Then be dedicated
to doing a good job and make sure you like your job," she says. "If you're
willing to work hard and be dedicated, there are no limitations to what
you can do."
To learn more about the many
career opportunities with Old Kent throughout the U.S., please send your
resume to their Human Resources Department located at: Old Kent, 1830 East
Paris SE, Kentwood, MI 49546. Fax: (616) 771-6992.
Contact them via email at:
okfc.hr@oldkent.com
Visit their Web site at:
www.oldkent.com
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