JoAnne Evans

VP, Operations Manager, Accord Financial

JoAnne Evans, vice president and operations manager, Canada Asset Based Finance & Factoring, Accord Financial, has more than 20 years of experience in the commercial finance industry. Since joining Accord 13 years ago, her considerable experience in factoring and asset-based lending has moved her from her initial supervisory role in collections to her current vice president & operations management role. JoAnne’s skills in problem solving, combined with her client-oriented focus, benefit both her and Accord as she oversees most aspects of Accord’s daily operational activity, while providing excellent support as part of the Canada asset-based finance management team. JoAnne is business-driven and can go from enhancing operations with new technology, to meeting prospective clients, to offering current clients the service and support needed. She has also developed new and improved financial products and performs due diligence for the existing client portfolio as well as for prospective clients. 

JoAnne resides in Montreal, Quebec, Canada with her husband and family. After many years volunteering in minor sports, she now spends her spare time golfing, travelling and training with her dog Cooper. JoAnne is a graduate of the Desautels Faculty of Management MMBA program at McGill University.

What role has mentoring played in your career?

I was extremely fortunate to have two women mentors, Marjorie Cooke and Mary Serio, early in my career in factoring. Marjorie taught me the A-Zs of factoring, how important it is to ask questions and be curious and what to watch out for. She also showed me that being firm and sticking by your decisions was the way forward. Mary Serio recommended pursuing my studies with the Canadian Credit Institute, taught me about risk and managing it and was the optimal teacher when it came to managing clients. She also recommended my move to Accord 13 years ago which turned out to be a great decision.

What do you enjoy most about your role? Least? 

Working in the alternative lending space is an extremely interesting career. Each day has its own challenges, as does each new deal. Finding solutions by being creative and flexible can create opportunities that did not seem possible. It’s exciting and demanding, sometimes forcing you outside of your comfort zone, and ultimately very rewarding.  The fast-paced environment makes time fly by and supporting companies in a multitude of industries provides a unique learning experience. Add the bonus of seeing clients prosper and thrive creates a high level of satisfaction.  The negative side to the industry is that not everything is in your control and, regardless of how creative you are in financing and supporting clients, you cannot help them all and not all survive.

What effect, if any, has working remotely had on your career/industry? What have been the challenges and how have you worked to overcome them? 

I am extremely proud of our team and how they have transitioned from the traditional office environment to working from home full time. The first few weeks felt overwhelming while working out the logistics, but we did not miss a beat.   The realization that having face-to-face client meetings does not require travel is an added bonus and has certainly improved our interactions with clients. We have also increased our reliance on technology with positive effects that I am sure we will keep even after restrictions are lifted and we return to working from the office. The biggest challenge has been in ensuring that our group culture remained, and continues to remain, intact; communication is key, and we implemented Teams early to bridge this gap.  We have found that encouraging staff to take time to catch up with each other at the beginning of meetings, prior to beginning any work-related discussion, helps our group stay focused, positive and cohesive. 

What do you think work will look like in the post -pandemic world? 

Post-pandemic our work environment will be different. Although we will continue to have some employees working remotely, I believe that, like many other companies, we will move towards a reduction in our overall office footprint and transition to a hybrid workplace.  Providing staff the opportunity to work remotely encourages a better work/life balance, reduces stress, and can actually increase productivity and performance, which benefits everyone.