Dawn Dieter

Senior Vice President, Director of Collateral Risk, MB Financial Bank

Biography:

Dawn is senior vice president, director of collateral risk for the Asset Based Lending Group at MB Financial Bank and is responsible for collateral monitoring operations and field exam. Dawn oversees collateral monitoring for MB Business Capital Asset Based Lending and the Commercial Bank, managing a staff of 40 team members. In addition, she also manages the Field Exam department for the Bank which is responsible for providing field exam services for asset-based lending and the commercial bank. Dawn has over 25 years of asset-based lending and field exam experience. Before coming to MB Business Capital, she was a relationship manager for Orix Business Credit, handling asset-based and cash flow accounts. Prior to that, she spent more than 10 years with the Asset-Based lending groups of American National Bank (ANB) and Bank One as a relationship manager, field exam manager and field examiner. She holds a B.A. in accounting from North Central College and an MBA from Loyola University Chicago.  Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Kevin, and her family, especially her four grandchildren.  She enjoys the music of Bruce Springsteen and is a lifelong Cubs fan.

What advice would you give to women just starting out in the industry? 

Women tend to wait for opportunities to happen but you need to learn to recognize an opportunity and be able to act on it. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – this will help you to learn and grow in your first position.  Many times new employees are afraid to speak up and ask questions, whether it’s industry — or position— specific.  You will only increase your knowledge base by asking questions and your input and point of view will benefit the entire group. Develop your networking skills early and learn as much as you can from your peers as well as from your network contacts. 

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career? 

Many times we are waiting for that opportunity or challenge to come to us when we need to reach for it ourself. Women need to know that it’s ok to be aggressive and make yourselves heard.  Remember, you wouldn’t have been hired if you didn’t have the skillset for the position, so speak up for yourself, volunteer for that assignment, take charge when the project is faltering.  But remember, make sure you always have time for yourself and your family.  You have to be able to balance both worlds so that neither of them is short-changed.  The workplace has evolved a lot over the past 25 years, but it is still a delicate balancing act that women must learn how to navigate.  Developing good organizational skills early in your career will help you now and later on in your career.  Learn to say “no” and to speak up for yourself. Come prepared and on time to meetings and don’t be afraid to speak up and contribute during meetings.

What kind of role has mentoring and/or sponsorship played in your career?

I’ve had several mentors over the course of my career that have provided invaluable insight and have, more importantly, challenged me.  Many times a mentor will come from an unlikely place/source so their input will provide you with a view of your capabilities that you can’t see.  They can see your strengths and weaknesses and help you in ways that you didn’t realize you needed. 

What do you think the Industry could do to attract and retain the best and the brightest today?

Many young professionals are looking to start their career with a company that has a well defined training program that will provide not just training, but feedback so they know how they are doing.  They also need to know that adjustments will be made so they can continue to receive the appropriate training based on their progress.  Along with solid training programs, companies have to provide a career path with a variety of options for young talent.  Promoting a good work-life balance is important to all employees, especially young professionals so it’s important that companies embrace a healthy work-life balance culture from top management down. Companies need to recognize that the traditional workplace and talent has changed and they need to continuously adapt to these changes and be flexible with work schedules, embrace new technology and promote opportunities within the company.