Pam Cates

Senior Vice President and National Portfolio Manager, Wells Fargo Capital Finance

Biography:

Pam Cates is a senior vice president and national portfolio manager for Wells Fargo Capital Finance, a leading provider of traditional asset-based loans, specialized junior and senior secured financing, factoring, and financing for domestic and international trade to companies in a wide range of industries. Based in Denver, Pam oversees the underwriting of all new transactions and all existing client exposures over $10 million for the government, staffing, and transportation groups within Wells Fargo Capital Finance.

Pam has 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and has been working for Wells Fargo Capital Finance for the past 24 years. During this time, she has negotiated and documented numerous asset-based loans, managed a portfolio of asset-based loans with commitments ranging from $2 million to over $100 million, worked with turnaround professionals and companies in financial distress, and gained experience in bankruptcy and the liquidation of collateral. She has also managed teams of relationship managers, underwriters, and credit analysts.

Pam earned a bachelor of science in finance from Metropolitan State College of Denver and a master of finance from the University of Denver. Pam is married and has a son and a daughter. She enjoys running, hiking, snowboarding, and international travel.

Studies have shown women are more reluctant to tout their accomplishments in the workplace. What advice would you give to help women be more comfortable with speaking up?

It takes practice to feel comfortable speaking up about your accomplishments. It is a matter of building confidence in this area. To do that requires action. Make a commitment to yourself and take action by speaking up. Put thought into what you want to say. Start small by sharing an accomplishment with a close friend, mentor, or colleague that you trust. To help find your voice and boost your confidence, practice in a low-risk environment. Practice where you have a strong support system. Confide in these individuals, and let them know that you want to build confidence. Ask them for help and feedback. Your action may very well inspire others to speak up.

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

I wish I had known that it is okay to be authentic. Early in my career, I only brought my work self to the office. I was driven and focused on my career. I wanted others to see me as successful. I thought that being vulnerable or authentic would tarnish my reputation. I was afraid of looking bad. I did not have the courage to be authentic. As a result, I experienced conflict between my work persona and my authentic self, and I found it hard to be successful. Only when I decided to commit to being authentic at work was I able to be my best.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I love connecting with people and building relationships. Over the course of my Wells Fargo career, my roles have always involved relationship management. Whether managing customer relationships or managing employees, I enjoy spending time with people. I love hearing their stories and learning about their businesses. I am always learning new things in my role because I have the opportunity to connect with people. It keeps me engaged and excited.

How do you balance work/personal time?

I have learned a lot about balance in my 30-year career. I was not good at finding balance when I was younger. In those years, I focused on building my career and less on ensuring balance. Over time and with maturity, I learned just how important it is. Changes in my personal life — having children or taking care of a sick parent — have helped me find better balance and appreciate the importance of finding balance.

What has worked best for me is making appointments with myself. I put them on my calendar. This sets boundaries and shows commitment to myself. I have appointments with myself for breakfast, lunch, and exercise. I also have appointments with myself for “catch-up” or “me” time. It is about making the commitment, being mindful, and being deliberate. I am selfish with my appointments with myself, but my commitment to myself helps me find better balance.