CBA Executive Banking School Spotlight: Laura Palazesi
As we gear up for another amazing term at CBA's Executive Banking School (EBS), we’re connecting with our 2023 honors alumni to share their experiences at EBS and their advice for the next class of students.
Our honors graduates are the top of their class in a three-year program providing future bank leaders with the comprehensive, holistic perspective of retail banking required to lead effectively amid industry shifts.
This week’s spotlight is on Laura Palazesi, SVP of Dividend Finance Operations at Fifth Third Bank!
What was the highlight of your time at EBS?
The highlight of my time at EBS was the connections I made. The school strategy is to ensure that you get exposure to a broad population. They accomplish this by pairing you with different teammates, different members of your community and different roommates each year. By the time you graduate it’s very likely that you will know every single member of your class in addition to every staff member. These connections have been a valuable add to my network and I’ve been able to leverage them to learn, capture and share best practices, and connect on a personal level with bankers across the country.
How has EBS helped you advance your career?
EBS has helped me advance my career by not only expanding my skillset, but by exposing me to leaders throughout the Bank. While completing both my intersession and capstone projects I was able to engage with leaders and associates in multiple lines of business and departments and for us to get to know each other. When an opportunity arose in a new line of business, I was contacted and presented this amazing opportunity. Connecting across business lines makes each of us, and our business, stronger.
What advice can you give to incoming students?
My advice to incoming students is to go all in. You will get as much out of this experience as you are willing to put in, and the experience has an awful lot to offer, well beyond the content of the courses.
Read our previous features with Mark Salatino, SVP of Consumer Segment and Solutions at U.S. Bank, Thomas Davidson, VP of Enterprise Payments at Huntington Bank, Christina Del Grosso, Director of Distribution Strategic Initiatives at BMO, and Erica Wills, Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase.
