Featured Leader, Emilie Cortes, CFA
Posted by Megan Bergtholdt on Mon, Jun 01, 2009
:: Current Title & Company
Account Manager, Axioma Inc. I sell quantitative tools to asset managers and hedge funds.
:: Online Profile
LinkedIn
:: Favorite Book(s)?
The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen
Breaking Trail by Arlene Blum
Annapurna by Maurice Herzog
Eiger Dreams by Jon Krakauer
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
You may notice a theme here!
:: Women Leader That Inspires You?
It's very difficult for me to name just one as I am inspired by many women leaders in my life. Tonya Olpin did an independent study at Rice University about how to engage and connect professional women MBAs across the country and is now doing an amazing job running the National Association of Women MBAs as the Executive Director. Jen Klafin holds down a day job and also co-runs an organization called the Bay Area Adventure Racing Babes and Dudes. Arlene Blum who led the first all women's expedition to climb Annapurna, an 8000 meter peak in the Himalaya at the time unclimbed by any Americans, back in 1978 and now dedicates herself to the Green Science Policy Institute to reduce the toxins we are exposed to in everyday life. Kate Reid also has a day job and recently became a sole proprietor of a women's adventure travel company. Susan Bernstein who's career is totally dedicated to helping people find meaning in their work and being inspired in their lives. I could go on but you get the idea that if we look around there are women in our lives doing amazing things to lead, inspire, and contribute to society.
:: Who Was Your Best Manager? Why?
My best manager was Buck Rumely at Moody's KMV. Buck was a very warm, open person who seemed to always anticipate exactly when I needed help and when to step back and let me figure things out on my own. He was adept at giving credit where credit was due, and he was an amazing communicator.
:: Your First "Real" Job?
My first paying job was a Walgreens cashier at age 15 in Texas. I started working at that age because I just simply loved the independence and freedom that came from working. My first career-type job was as an industry analyst for an M&A broker called the Geneva Companies in Southern California. I really loved that job because I was always good at school. Being a research analyst didn't feel like a big departure so I grew into the role quite well. After three years of researching various technology industries, I moved over to the valuation side to stretch myself. I remember being very intimidated because there were almost no women and very few non-MBAs in that role, but I learned a valuable lesson that if I applied myself, it didn't matter what my age, gender, etc was as long as I performed. It's also the role that inspired me to get my MBA at Berkeley and move forward with a career in finance.
:: Where Do You Do Your Best Thinking?
For better or worse, I am an intense multi-tasker. I find that I have ideas and strategize when I am in the middle of something else. People often remark they don't understand how I do it all, but I have a healthy level of energy and I always keep my notebook with me to write things down as I think of them. I get intense satisfaction from checking things off my list!
:: What Do You Value Most in Employees? Colleagues?
Contrary to some management beliefs, I believe the most important characteristic in a person, whether employee, colleague, boss, client, is being a downright nice and decent person. The most technically competent employees that cannot get along with others won't go very far. However, most hard skills can be learned and being enjoyable to work with is priceless.
:: What Would You Like to Be the World's Best At?
Inspiring others to greatness, whatever form that may take for each person individually. I can't imagine a better legacy.
:: What Do You Consider Your Greatest Achievement?
Although my passion outside of work is high-altitude glacier mountaineering, which can be extremely difficult and rewarding, I would have to say that my greatest achievement was putting myself through undergrad while graduating first in my class. I have never worked so hard in my life as during my undergraduate studies when I held between one and three jobs at a time to pay for my schooling. I remarked at how much more I seemed to value my studies than many of my classmates - I didn't want to waste a penny by not taking advantage of what I could learn in each class. It was a very intense experience and I learned how to be organized, multi-task, and be resourceful financially. These are lessons that stick with me today even though life feels so much easier!
:: What Is Your Personal Mission Statement?
Generally, I want to have a positive impact on all those around me. With regard to my professional life, I am a bit of a unique salesperson in that I enjoy spending time with my colleagues sharing information or holding training sessions to share key learnings. With my clients, I think of them more as real people with real problems that hopefully I can help with my companies' solutions, rather than just seeing dollar signs across their foreheads. I am dedicated to several women's organizations to help break barriers so that women can achieve whatever they want. It doesn't matter to me whether that's to become a CEO or take as much time off as they want for personal growth. I also really love mentoring women individually - whether applying to business school, in job searches, breaking down fear of networking, or in outdoor activities such as backpacking, snowcamping, or climbing.