Senior vice president
BMO | Milwaukee
David Anderson is a senior vice president of BMO Commercial Bank and the lead executive in Milwaukee as chair of the Wisconsin Leadership Council. Anderson is also head of the middle market and large corporate banking teams as group managing director of Wisconsin. Thirty of Anderson’s 34 years in the banking industry have been with M&I Bank and later BMO. He serves on the boards of Wisconsin Manufacturing & Commerce, WMC Foundation and the Greater Milwaukee Committee and on the advisory board for the commercial banking program at Marquette University.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater; master’s, University of Wisconsin-Madison
What would you do if you could choose another career: “Fighter pilot. Had my eyesight been better I would have selected the military to fly fighter jets.”
Advice for first-time leaders: “Leadership is a lifelong journey, not a destination. Enjoy the journey, pay attention to life’s learnings, apply lessons you’ve learned to present situations. Leadership is about others, not you. It’s all about the people.”
Favorite movie: “‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ I grew up in a small town, my dad was a banker in a small town, and the main actor (Jimmy Stewart) in the story is one of my favorites. The impacts his character (George Bailey) made on the community were huge, but he didn’t appreciate it until the end.”
Favorite part of the workday: “The morning – it’s when my head is most clear, allowing me to tackle my most complex challenges of the day.”
