Member attributes FWI for continuing education in 25-year banking career

For more than 25 years, Anita Werner has been seeking out the programs that FWI offers for her career in commercial banking. She became a member through the Yuma, AZ chapter in the early 1980’s when it was known as the National Association of Banking Women. She joined FWI to continue her education in the financial industry.

“I took advantage of their Management Certificate Program. In my early career, the training I got from that was invaluable,” says Werner. “We did it in a group setting in Yuma and I benefited a lot from the older women.”

After the Yuma chapter disbanded and there were no other Arizona chapters, she let her membership lapse. Then in 1998 when she relocated to El Paso, TX, she “went looking for FWI,” and rejoined the organization to build a network in her new community.

At Bank of the West in El Paso where Werner is now the VP Business Development Officer, they have supported her membership in FWI. When Werner won an FWI scholarship to attend the Graduate School of Banking through the University of Wisconsin, the bank didn’t hesitate to up a third of the cost.

“It made them realize how serious I was about my career,” notes Werner. “By putting myself forward to attend that program I’ve become more of a player at the bank. For example, I was asked to sit in on our strategic planning committee while I was involved with GSB.”

Werner says she is working with a lot of community bankers now and is viewed as the “go-to” person because of her FWI network and the industry knowledge she possesses.

“I’ve been asked to manage a lot of different projects because of the contacts I have, so I provide value to the bank,” she adds. “As the incoming FWI District President for Texas, the bank has also supported my costs to attend district conferences. Their support is a tribute to the value that FWI can offer in a financial career.”

Werner is especially pleased with the new Foundation seminars that FWI offers, which she says are much better quality than in years past.  Her district has used “Her Place at the Table,” at its district conferences, which she says is “reaffirming” to her.

“FWI has provided me role models and skills to do a better job as a bank executive. I just know how much it has helped my career,” she says. “Now I’m starting to mentor the younger women and that’s been really neat for me. I feel like I’m able to give back.”