In this episode, Mark sits down with Andrew Hedegard, Managing Director and Great Lakes Region Head for BMO Commercial Banking, to explore his 20+ year career journey from personal banker to leading teams across Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.
Andrew shares how his early days at Bank One and Chase gave him energy from working with small businesses, and how curiosity fueled his evolution into commercial banking leadership. He reflects on the mentors, allies, and advocates who shaped his path, the lessons of stepping into leadership despite hesitation, and the importance of accessibility and trust when leading teams across multiple states.
The conversation also dives into Andrew's philosophy of "failing forward," his approach to work-life integration while raising a large family, and his belief that purpose-driven leadership can thrive even in industries often seen as transactional.
Additional Resources:
Key Takeaways:
A career built on curiosity and client impact, starting with small businesses and scaling to middle market leadership.
Mentors, allies, and advocates play distinct but essential roles in professional growth.
Trust and accessibility are cornerstones of managing teams across states.
"Fail forward": mistakes are opportunities to learn and build resilience.
Work-life integration requires intentional partnership and boundaries.
Purpose-driven leadership can transform perceptions of industries like banking.
