Her Story
About Donna
I began my career in the late 1980s during a time when there weren't many women executives. I came in under affirmative action when there was a push to get more women as executives, and I started with a major Fortune 500 retail company as a merchandise buyer. I was promoted to merchandiser and stayed with them, then secured good jobs with other Fortune 500 companies where I received substantial raises and increases in responsibility. After about 10 to 15 years, the retail industry began to experience mergers and consolidations, and I was involved in one of those. I worked with a career consulting company that looked at my skills and drafted a whole new plan for me. A person who had worked for one of my retail companies was at a bank in town, and they had a new executive administrative staff position. I was fortunate to be the only woman on that staff. I've always worked in predominantly male jobs for the most part in my executive positions. I was there for about 10 years, and then I was the victim of another merger when banks started consolidating. That led me to use my skills, go to real estate school, and get into mortgages. I had friends that opened their own insurance agencies, and that's how I got involved in insurance. I've been able to transfer my skills from different industries, which has really propelled me to go from different occupations. Currently, I had to step away from career work to take care of my mother who passed away from stage 4 colon cancer. At this time, I've pursued something I've been interested in for a long time: decorating and using my retail skills and merchandising. I'm working at Pottery Barn in merchandising, taking design courses, and I participate in in-home designing. I'm also still involved with insurance. I've had several offers to open my own agency, and I'm considering doing that. I was fortunate to go back to real estate school and secure my property and casualty license, so I'm looking at using that licensing with my banking and mortgage skills to open my own agency.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Donna
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to basically being a quick learner and being able to transfer my skills from different industries. That's really benefited me, and just being a quick learner as well. That flexibility and transferring those skills has really been a huge, huge help throughout my career.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received through the years is to not take things personal and let things roll off your back. I've been told to try to remain calm and take five minutes to remain calm. That's always been a major advisory point I've received from previous supervisors, and it's really helped me throughout my career.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
There's so much more opportunity now than there was 40 years ago. Women have come a long way, and I would encourage women to aim for those top leadership executive positions because there are more women every day securing the top leadership positions now. It's a very different landscape than when I started.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge right now is basically overcoming age and presenting yourself, still convincing employers and companies that I am relevant and have a lot to offer. Working with all different age groups in different companies is really a huge thing right now. Overcoming the age factor is a huge challenge in my field.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think one of the most important values is family. Family is so important to me. A good work ethic, a strong work ethic, will really carry you a long way. The values of family, strong work ethic, and integrity are always important in working with other people. Knowing that people you're dealing with have integrity and can be trusted is essential, especially in banking and dealing with incentive plans and things like that. You've got to have trust and know that people you're dealing with can be trusted.
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