Snapshot:
Location: Alpharetta, GA

Education: B.A. History – Loyola University Maryland

Interests: History, politics, enjoying West Wing re-reruns, weekly trips to Atlanta’s Beltline

A Bit About Me:
Originally from Prince George’s County, Maryland I’ve been a resident of Atlanta for 7 years. I’m married to the love of my life, Brittany, and together we’re the proud parents of 3 children. As the son of a full-time missionary and a product of Catholic schools, I never expected to find myself working in a corporate setting. The concept of discovering my ‘vocation’ and making society a better place for others were principles I thought would be at odds with a career in business. The last 5 years have been a joy learning that I can live out the Jesuit principle of being a “man for others” while working for a company that places a strong emphasis on its mission and values.

Critical Experiences:
There have been two: 1. Frankly, joining Synchrony in a non-exempt role, I began my career in the non-profit sector and after deciding to make a switch to corporate, coming to Synchrony was like starting over. But frankly, it was one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made. I always thought that I had been proficient in Excel. My first day on the job I was working with datasets, the size of which I had never seen before. Within a year,I learned how to deal with numbers and what the numbers say, and what they really mean. My experience in a non-exempt role grounded me in hard work and showed me that Synchrony is a true meritocracy. It’s been the foundation of my successes here ever since. 2. Leading my first client meeting without my boss present. I learned to direct a room and guide a conversation, even with executives present. It was instrumental in my development, learning to tailor communications and presentations for leadership.

Career Development:
Learning to ask questions and being transparent about what I do and do not understand. Early in my career I wrongly believed that having all of the answers (or pretending to) was a surefire sign of brainpower and an assured way to climb the corporate ladder. I couldn’t have been more wrong. No one has all of the answers – and from an opportunity cost perspective, no one should. What impressed me very early on with Synchrony’s leadership – they aren’t afraid to admit when they don’t know something, and they aren’t afraid to ask questions. It takes a level of authenticity and courage to ask questions, but the boldness and transparency to do so ultimately leads to better decision making and results. It’s a skillset I’ve readily embraced, and yet one I am constantly seeking to perfect. Equally as important, has been identifying individuals who will not only answer my questions, but who are willing to share their thought/decision making process with me.

Role/Function:
I have the chance to serve as the liaison between our Marketing Operations team and CareCredit’s B2C Client Marketing team. It’s an amazing place to sit, because you really reside in two worlds, and need a strong understanding of campaign operations and marketing strategy to be successful. The role is highly relational and EQ-dependent, so the chance to interact with 14+ individuals on a daily basis, while working towards a definitive common goal is a definite draw. Furthermore, our leadership team does a phenomenal job of exposing the Engagement Team to Synchrony’s larger business strategy. Once a quarter we set aside a whole day and meet as a group to learn about new strategic initiatives, dialogue with Senior leaders, and provide business updates to our peers. It’s an amazing opportunity to hear and learn from individuals whose micro-decisions are helping drive the greater business forward.

Synchrony Value:
Passionate. What we do matters, how we do it matters more.