Craig Cohen

Senior Manager, Credit, Advance Partner

40 Under 40 Category: Portfolio Management

Biography:

After graduating from The Ohio State University with a BBA in finance and then earning his MBA from John Carroll University, Craig built his career in corporate and commercial banking. He gained extensive experience in credit underwriting, risk management and loan workout, both at small community banks and large regional banks.

At Advance, Craig oversees all aspects of credit underwriting and risk management functions in addition to supporting clients with mergers, acquisitions and business valuation. “We’re all part of a team working toward a common goal. It’s motivating to know that your contribution is not only necessary, but truly matters. That’s what makes Advance great and sets us apart.”

Craig is also very committed to The First Tee of Cleveland, a youth development program that teaches core values and life skills through the game of golf. He is a volunteer coach and serves on the Board of Directors. Outside of Advance, Craig enjoys spending time with his wife, Kimberly, and daughter, Quinn, while vacationing, swimming and other fun activities around Cleveland. He is also an avid golfer and snowboarder.

Is there a piece of professional advice that you would give yourself if you could go back in time? 

Stay the course and don’t give up! Life is hard and not always fair. Do not become complacent with the status quo and rest on your laurels. There will always be someone waiting behind you who is younger and smarter so continue to strive for greatness while looking over the horizon. There were many times I thought this business just wasn’t for me. I was stuck in a position and felt limited in my growth. And sometimes I didn’t have the fortitude to be a great visionary and move the business forward. Moving up throughout your professional career will always be a grind, nothing will come easy and it doesn’t happen overnight. Becoming successful is a marathon, not a sprint. Work hard, surround yourself with great people, and a little bit of luck never hurts.  Don’t look for handouts, go out and be the creator of your own destiny.

What role has mentoring played in your career?

Mentoring has played a major role for me, both as a beneficiary and contributor. Early on in my career I was fortunate enough to work with some of the greatest financial minds in the business. They were seasoned veterans who showed me what it was like to be a leader within the organization as well as gave me the knowledge and skills to drive a business successfully into the future. Pay attention to the veterans of your business and industry; they have a depth of understanding to be imparted on you. You may not realize a mentor relationship until after that person has moved on, so do more listening than talking. These are the lessons not learned in a classroom or training workshop. It’s the information buried within and not written on pages of textbook or publication. The intrinsic value they provide comes from vast experience in a variety of fields and life experiences. These mentors were the ones who gave me the opportunity and platform to further my career. Knowing that people took a chance on me provides the appreciation to pay it forward and act as a mentor to other young professionals. It is extremely satisfying to be able to mentor individuals and provide them with the same guidance many others gave me along the way. This does not always have to be in a formal work setting as a manager or leader. Get to know some of the new employees and find out what they like and don’t like, what are their aspirations and career goals. Being a mentor is not limited only to business so participate in your community.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started your career?

It’s perfectly ok to graduate from college and not have your life course already charted. Try different fields and positions where you think there might be interest. I finished undergrad with some experience in banking and investments, but still had no idea where I was headed. There seems to be so much pressure on young adults today to have it all figured out the moment they walk out the door. Explore, see what’s out there, and network with as many people as possible. This will serve you well as you move ahead in your career. I fell backwards into banking but quickly realized that analytics and problem-solving was exciting for me. It kept me interested, played to my strengths and opened an entire world I never knew existed.