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Lehigh Valley Women's Journal | Nov 01, 2011
Any road to the top has to start somewhere.
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Lisa Binder, one of America's top bankers and DeSales ACCESS grad
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For Lisa Binder of Blue Bell, Pa, the journey was propelled by her own innate drive to succeed and a college degree she earned while working full-time and raising a family. Her career path led to becoming president of a $24 billion financial organization and being named one of “America’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking” by U.S. Banking magazine (2008).
How did this working mother rise from neighborhood bank branch manager to the apex of an industry traditionally dominated by men? Lisa credits education for much of her success and recognizes that DeSales University’s ACCESS program--an accelerated degree curriculum designed for working adults--played a key role in her career.
“I worked full-time during my years as an adult student at DeSales. ACCESS provided the flexibility I needed to work, have a family and maintain a focus on my education,” Lisa explained. “It was a very high quality educational experience and it gave me the strong foundation and confidence I needed to keep reaching higher. I honestly believe that, without DeSales University and ACCESS, I would’ve been one of many in a very crowded playing field.”
Kudos to Lisa for parlaying her DeSales Bachelor’s degree in Business Management into even loftier achievements. After earning her degree in four years, she wasted no time in earning her M.B.A. which added more firepower to what would become a stratospheric rise up the corporate ladder in the competitive world of banking and finance. Lisa’s steps up that ladder led to executive positions at Mellon Financial, Group Executive Vice President for Citizens Financial Group and President, and Chief Operating Officer and Director of Associated Banc-Corp, a $24 billion bank holding company based in Wisconsin.
After achieving these career goals and with her two sons and a daughter now grown to young adulthood, she set her sights on yet another plateau: owning her own business. Today as an entrepreneur, Lisa presides over g2G Associates (www.g2Gassociates.com), a national business consultancy whose mission is “to advance companies and leaders from good to great.” No doubt this dynamic lady will make a successful journey of her current venture as well.