Michael Bohley

Vice President, Field Exam Manager, Wells Fargo Capital Finance

40 Under 40 Category: Field Examination

Biography:

Shortly after graduating from high school, Michael Bohley entered active duty service in the U.S. Army.  He served as a Stinger gunner (air defense artillery) and was stationed at Ft. Hood, TX for a little over two years.  His time in the Army prepared him for hard work, and he was able to finish his undergrad degree at Robert Morris University in three years.

Michael started his career in public accounting, and he was exposed to various manufacturing customers, which made his desire grow to understand how businesses work.  He started working on ABL exams with the firm’s consulting group and quickly learned that he enjoyed these engagements.  Michael spent two years in public, earning his CPA license, and then moved on to a lender services firm.  

Michael spent 13 months with the outsource firm and, while it was a fantastic learning experience, the travel was extensive and he knew he needed a better work/life balance as he and his wife were expecting their first child.  During his job search, the manager from the CPA firm he departed just over a year before inquired if he would be interested in rejoining the firm as their ABL practice was growing.  Michael accepted, and this is when he began doing exam work for Wells Fargo.  During extensive work on a major fraud engagement for Wells, he was offered a position as a senior field examiner.

At Wells, Michael has been exposed to a diverse portfolio including cash-flow loans, standard ABL facilities and deals in the technology finance space.  Prior to his one-year anniversary with Wells, as he was considering a move into underwriting, the growth of the business resulted in the opportunity to become a field exam manager.  True to his auditor roots, Michael opted for the exam manager role and has served in this capacity since 2007.  This position has allowed him to manage a diverse team, and he had the opportunity to be involved in the integration of the businesses and people from both the Wachovia merger in 2008 and the GE Capital acquisition in 2016.  The growth and evolution of this industry has been an interesting ride during his ten years with Wells Fargo!

When informed he was one of the SFNet 40 Under 40 recipients, Michael said,  “I am honored to be recognized for this award.  Field examiners can often be overlooked as it is not the glorious part of our industry.  Historically, we were the ‘bad guys’ who customers never wanted to see, but the industry has evolved, and now we are more focused on mitigating risk while helping customers get the liquidity they need.  I have been blessed with great leaders and co-workers in my career and can honestly say we do operate as a team.”

His nominator, Michael Riesmeyer, senior vice president, Business Finance National Collateral Manager, Wells Fargo Capital Finance, said, “Michael is a true leader in every facet of the word, from his leadership to his team at Wells to his leadership in helping those who are most vulnerable.  He is highly respected for the knowledge and experience he brings to the organization, and his ability to quickly understand and resolve the challenges that arise in asset-based lending.  He has been involved in some of the largest transactions that Wells Fargo Capital Finance has completed.”