Renate LaCroix, president and counsel of Utica Leaseco, frequently reflects on her role and responsibilities in the male-dominated field of finance as a woman and mother of three young children with more than 12 years of professional growth and advancement behind her. While this position provides an immense amount of intellectual and financial satisfaction, it also can feel overwhelming, especially when coupled with the other demands and societal expectations placed on women.

A saying that stays with LaCroix is, “A woman must mother as if she doesn’t have a job, and work as if she doesn’t have a family.” As LaCroix has worked and gained more and more professional responsibility, it has become evident to her that this problematic message should be discussed with younger women at the start of their careers. This quote recognizes how difficult and, arguably, even impossible the expectations placed on women to strike a balance between both worlds can be.

LaCroix attributes her success not just to hard work, but also the immense luck and privilege of possessing an incredible support system. This system includes the involvement of family who live close by, a spouse with a flexible career, access to resources to hire people to help with household tasks, a network of friends and neighbors who can step in to provide help when needed and the joy of working with other women who are empathetic and can provide advice and guidance, as they too have shouldered the same weight throughout their lives and provided strength to help LaCroix get to where she is today.

LaCroix is proud to have the opportunity to work with an amazing and talented group of people as president and counsel at Utica Leaseco and she wants to shape the company into an organization that recognize the strengths of each person and the ways in which they contribute to the company’s success while also normalizing the fact that women who advance into higher positions of responsibility cannot always “have it all” without the support of a village.

“Exploring a profession in finance would be a great choice for women who are starting their careers. This industry is enjoyable, thought-provoking and intellectually satisfying,” LaCroix says. “I have met lifelong friends and had the pleasure to work with amazing people. And the flexibility and capability of working remote, at anytime from anywhere, is unrivaled.”

“Her careful consideration of every potential outcome is essential to the day-to-day legal and business operations of Utica Leaseco and the success of its customers, something that Renate takes very seriously,” Ryann Whitmore, vice president and counsel for Utica Leaseco, says. “She is dedicated to having a personal, hands-on relationship with our customers, ensuring that she is the main point of contact with them and providing support at all hours every day of the week. She has determination, vision and true grit that motivates all around her to work at their highest level. As our new President, she encourages a largely collaborative environment within our team, helping us to work together to provide innovative solutions for our customers. Most importantly, she is compassionate and understanding, which makes working with her a pleasure. I’m inspired by her daily and am excited for the future of our company with Renate taking the lead.”