L AT INO LE A DE R S
Community servant George Acevedo, of JPMorgan, is a big believer in helping people follow their dreams The reason Acevedo feels blessed is because he was mentored by greats of the industry. Now, his goal is to help others in their careers. So what is the secret of his success? What did he do to get where he is at and what advice does he give other Latinos? “Have goals. Long-term goals. Think big. You work together with your manager so you can come up with a good plan on how to get to the next step,” he says. “You’ve got to make sure you do your job very, very well. A lot of people focus on their next opportunity; they forget that the main thing is that you do your job very well because that’s what’s going to prepare you to move to the next level.”
George Acevedo Senior Vice President of the Southeast Region for JPMorgan
“HAVE GOALS. LONG-TERM GOALS. THINK BIG. YOU WORK TOGETHER WITH YOUR MANAGER SO YOU CAN COME UP WITH A GOOD PLAN ON HOW TO GET TO THE NEXT STEP.”
Courtesy photos
-George Acevedo’s advice for employees in all fields.
G
eorge Acevedo has one mission: to make JPMorgan Chase shine. That, he already has helped accomplish as the Senior Vice President of the Southeast Region, which encompasses branches in Florida and Georgia. But now, the seasoned financial ace wants to help rush in the new technology era to better serve its clients. In addition, Acevedo, who has worked for Chase for 27 years, is a big believer in partnerships, in mentoring Latinos within the firm and giving them the keys to succeed. “I just feel blessed that I am part of this organization,” says Acevedo. 10 • July / August 2015
A real community bank Born in the Dominican Republic, Acevedo grew up in New York, lived in Texas and for the past six years he has lived in Florida with his family. Working with the community has always been an organic part of work and life for Acevedo, he says. He believes that serving the surrounding community is not only a good thing in and of itself, but that it pays off. He recalls that when he started with Chase, Spanish-speaking customers would often take their own children to have him help with their resumes or to find a new job. He did it because he wanted to help, but it led to a deep, genuine community involvement. “People started coming,” he recalls. One of the organic ways that Chase helps is by doing community work: helping clients get a loan, start a business or own a home. Or by aiding them in becoming entrepreneurs. “That’s where we truly add value, not just by taking a deposit for a customer,” he says.