Catherine Roddick still has notes from the first Equipment Leasing and Finance Association Women’s Leadership Forum she attended in 2019. Reviewing her notes around ‘building your personal brand,’ she points out that it all boiled down to: “I want to make everything better.” This is what drives her. Roddick wants to help people grow, to help improve processes and to hear everyone’s ideas on how to get it all done.
The Women’s Leadership Forum introduced Roddick to the ELFA, and has since become her favorite event of the year. Now, as a member of the Women’s Council, Roddick has the opportunity to give back. For Roddick, working with the forum’s planning team to build an agenda that allows women to focus on both personal and business growth in a single event is both demanding and exciting.
“I never want to be in a room where I see people feel like they don’t belong. Everyone brings values that are needed,” Roddick says. “I understand we don’t always feel comfortable in every situation, but I want to encourage people to trust that they belong and at the same time, I want to make sure that every place is open and welcoming – encouraging everyone to engage.”
Working in the financial services industry was not originally a career focus for Roddick; this left her feeling out of place at the beginning of her career. It took a few key relationships and mentors until she finally felt legitimized as a banker. This was before “imposter syndrome” had a name, and this experience fueled Roddick’s desire to help people that are navigating their own career journeys.
Roddick has always enjoyed helping others feel welcome, and has embraced the opportunity to serve as a mentor whenever called upon, both formally and informally. Diversity and inclusion are also close to her heart. Roddick believes that diversity of thought and process is critical to success, and one can only benefit from that when they feel encouraged and valued bringing their full self to their career.
As a lead relationship manager, Roddick is responsible for the delivery of lending and leasing products and services to agricultural cooperatives and producers in four western states. Prior to this role, she led a team of relationship managers for Farm Credit Leasing who serve cooperatives, agribusinesses and farm credit associations. In each role, the focus has been development. Roddick believes the most impactful way to create lasting success in business is to help foster lasting success in people.
“At CoBank/Farm Credit Leasing, we have nine associate resource groups, which are focused on creating a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Catherine is active in our ARGs, encouraging [of] a collective voice to help promote an inclusive work environment,” Beth Campbell, director of recruiting at CoBank/ Farm Credit Leasing, says. “The bank appreciates the leadership Catherine provides in this space specifically with recruitment and retention. As a respected woman in a leadership role, she has assisted in recruiting top talent in the equipment finance and leasing industry to the bank through networking and outreach. Catherine is an example of a critical support mechanism for associates to flourish and grow in their careers.”
“Helping people get what they want is the most exciting way to spend your day. Whether it’s helping customers finance their business growth, or helping teammates thrive in their careers, the end result of putting people first makes everything better.”