Gina Peter
Executive vice president and division manager
Wells Fargo Commercial Banking
100 E. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1400, Milwaukee
Industry: Commercial banking
Employees: 2,100 total in Wisconsin
www.wellsfargo.com/com/commercial-banking
Gina Peter is the executive vice president and division manager for Wells Fargo Commercial Banking in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Companies with a multi-state presence should engage the expertise and guidance of local managers to make informed in-market decisions, she says.
“Your Milwaukee-based business is growing. You’re expanding to new markets across Wisconsin, the Great Lakes and the Midwest – or perhaps further around the United States and the globe. With your company’s success comes a big decision: Should you continue to control your company’s decision-making, or should you consider loosening the reins and empowering your local leaders to make decisions?
“In my experience, empowering local decision-makers can produce notable results.
“Our offices nationwide – just like the one here in Milwaukee – operate as local headquarters for satisfying our customers’ financial needs and helping them succeed financially. This empowers our commercial bankers to be more flexible and nimble in reacting to local market conditions and opportunities.
“Empowerment drives your local leaders to make decisions, create growth strategies, and serve customers as close to home as possible. It’s energizing to be trusted to hire, budget and invest in your own community. When aligned with company values and combined with a keen understanding of how the local team’s actions impact the whole business, this approach inspires better decision-making and provides a greater incentive to grow.
“While many business owners and executives like to maintain control over all aspects of their business, I encourage you to provide a solid vision for your leaders and have confidence in their expertise and guidance. You might be pleasantly surprised at the results.”
