TheMReport — News and strategies for the evolving mortgage marketplace.
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20 | TH E M R EP O RT Amy Bonitatubus, Chief Communications Officer of the Mortgage Banking and Credit Card businesses at JPMorgan Chase, understood early in life what homeowner- ship meant to families and communities. Bonitatibus grew up in upstate New York, where good family values, a strong work ethic, and the importance of work-life bal- ance were rooted at home. She had the good fortune of growing up surrounded by strong women, starting with her mother who raised three children and worked as a nurse in their local hospital. "From an early age, my mother put her family first, yet was still able to invest in a professional career and achieve personal goals," said Bonitatubus. "Throughout my upbringing, she worked second shift, being there for my siblings and me during the day and then working in the emergency room of our hospital at night." This is the biggest challenge Bonitatibus sees for women in the workplace today. "We have made a lot of progress on so many fronts but work-life balance tends to be the biggest challenge and the everyday pressures of always trying to get it right." When she meets with working mothers at Chase and across the mortgage industry, she encourages others to find the balance that's right for them and that no one has it perfectly figured out. Personally, Bonitatibus works to maintain a balance of work and home life. During the week, she commits herself to leaving the office by 6:00 p.m so she can be home for din- ner and bedtime for her three boys—ages 6, 4, and 1. Later in the evening, she often catches up on email and gears up for the next day. What Bonitatibus loves the most about JPMorgan Chase is how everyone has been so supportive not just of her but of all of their employees in helping them maintain that work-life balance. "Chase puts a lot of focus on developing strong female leaders across the company. It's that type of commitment by Chase and other financial companies that will continue to attract top talent to the mortgage industry," Bonitatibus said. Bonitatibus hopes that her children will have the same appreciation for good family values, commitment, and leadership that she did when they begin charting their own career paths. Amy Bonitatubus CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER OF MORTGAGE BANKING AND CREDIT CARD BUSINESS, JPMORGAN CHASE AMY BONITATUBUS SPECIAL SECTION