TheMReport

20 | TH E M REP O RT J ennifer says she was always a numbers person and that financial services was always in her sights from an early age. She stayed with the investment bank for 17 years, but confidently admits could have easily stayed for another 20 years. In her time as a banker, she found the consumer franchises to be appealing because they were, so to speak, so much closer to home. She liked being able to see the effect of her business and profession on homeowners, and knew that what she was doing was providing help to others with dreams of homeownership. Mortgages in the consumer busi- ness present "so many unique complexities," but Jennifer found them to be intuitive and natural. This devotee of the industry found switching to consumer banking intriguing. To Jennifer, there is nothing more paramount than building a network to make sure that her business and her career do not falter. She says that a willingness to ask for, receive, and utilize criticism is a necessity in her line of work. When the sort of problems faced are on a grand scale, a level of national concern, there is no room for one person to solve them; only teams can succeed, and this is something Jennifer that knows and uses to her advantage. But, she warns, always bring humility to the table when try- ing to solve a problem. She credits the cohesion and teamwork of her coworkers for her professional victories, but credits the support of family— particularly her amazing hus- band and an amazing father—for her personal achievements. Such adaptation and wider-view thinking is what keeps her successful in all spheres of life. No one can play the jack of all trades constantly, for as she says, "When you try to be that person every second of the day, you won't be that person for anyone. I always try to stay focused." The task at hand is what matters most." Her experience with home- owners affords her the opportu- nity to counsel them to consider all aspects of the process. A home is always an investment, and therefore always a source of potential risk, but also the poten- tial for great joy and stability. The first home she ever had was a 650 sq. ft. apartment in Hoboken, New Jersey. The experience was memorable for her and she still remembers the Realtor, who she credits to leav- ing a significant mark during her first time experience. What she wishes she knew is the process from picking out a home to clos- ing is a lot more involved than anyone realizes, and then the total cost of a home – there's a lot involved. The cost of home- ownership is more than just a mortgage, she says. Her hope for the future is evident in her view of women in the workplace and how they have progressed over the last two decades. She feels that there are women in the industry who blazed the trail for the current generation of women in the work- force, but those brave women are by no means ancient history. As recently as the nineties, Jennifer recalls, women didn't wear pants in the workplace. A great deal has changed; in fact, she saw her promotion to managing director only a few months after returning from maternity leave. POWER PLAYERS Special Section Jennifer PIEPSZAK "When you try to be [a jack of all trades] every second of the day, you won't be that person for anyone. I always try to stay focused." MANAGING DIRECTOR, CFO OF MORTGAGE BANKING AT CHASE

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