Lessons in Business

Lessons in Business

When Margaret Rose Giltinan ’74 was 16 years old, her father took her to the old Cleveland Trust building to help her open a checking account. “He said, ‘OK this is yours, you run it,” Margaret remembers. It was her first lesson in finance as he taught her about banking, and her love for the industry grew from there. She would later launch her career at the Federal Reserve Bank as a Bank Examiner before transitioning into private industry, excelling in diverse lending roles such as a bank Commercial Loan Officer and as a Consumer Compliance Officer. She then went on to take the reins as CEO of her family business, Gebauer Company, where she has served since 2009.

Today, Margaret is inspiring a new generation of women in finance with her support of the endowed chair for the Margaret Rose and Rose Foundation Chair in Business & Finance. The position is currently held by Nela Serrano, Director of the Fellowships for Business & Finance at Hathaway Brown. Through immersive learning opportunities, Upper School students participating in the Fellowship

immerse themselves in experiences both on campus and off campus that empower students to delve into corporate or nonprofit management, entrepreneurship, economics, and finance.

“There is renewed energy and excitement for our Business & Finance fellowships,” Nela shares. “We have doubled our enrollment this year and that doesn’t even include the entrepreneurs not enrolled in classes, attendees of our public financial lunches, and the middle school students. We are the fastest-growing Fellowship at HB, driven by the palpable interest of our students in this field.

“Our students are always looking for new ways of delving deeper in their understanding of business,” Nela continues. “They eagerly inquire about the workings of the New York Stock Exchange and the essence of Wall Street. They yearn for an international excursion to Colombia, to trace the journey of our coffee beans used in the HathCaff from production to our shelves, unraveling the intricacies of our business model. They seek to master social media marketing and data analysis, eager to understand the nuances of employer retirement plans and navigate the transition into their first job.”

Margaret is pleased with the success of the Fellowship. “My hope is to help enable Hathaway Brown girls to be enriched by exposure to business and finance concepts early on in life,” Margaret shares. “Just recently, I heard presentations by two students in the Fellowship and it showed me again the rewards and lessons in giving back.”

In addition to the Business & Finance Fellowship, Margaret has found many ways to stay connected and give back to Hathaway Brown over the years. She supported the Jewett-Brown Academic Center (Middle School) in 2001 and was a member of HB’s Head’s Council from 2015-2018. “Being part of the Council was a wonderful way to connect and reconnect with other alumnae,” she shares.

This summer, Margaret joined many classmates from the Class of 1974 for their 50th reunion. During the weekend, she was also awarded the Distinguished Alumnae Award. “As I look back over my growing up years, many of which were while at Hathaway Brown, my classmates from 1974 had a most important impact on who I am today,” Margaret shares. “I am filled with gratitude to those classmates. During those years I learned lessons in giving back through these relationships.”

Margaret Giltinan’s support of Hathaway Brown propels students to realizing HB’s vision of an exceptional Fellowship program that champions women’s leadership in the business world. Dr. Bisselle shares, “We are so thankful to Margaret for ensuring the continuity of our programs which will sustain our students’ initiatives for years to come.”

The lessons in business Margaret began learning at just 16 years old continue to resonate with a new generation of leaders who are eager to learn and carry them forward.