FCCS News & Insights

Women of Distinction at Compeer Financial

Professional networks can provide perspective and insight, answer questions, smooth negotiations and speed business processes, among many other benefits. Building an effective network takes time and is greatly facilitated when there is common ground as a foundation.

Compeer Financial has recognized this, making a focused effort to support its women professionals by helping them develop effective networks within the organization. One key initiative is sending select groups of women professionals to participate in the Women of Distinction program at the Gettysburg Leadership Experience.

“Women of Distinction offers a safe place to learn important leadership lessons, communicate honestly about leadership challenges and build meaningful connections with colleagues across the organization,” says Leah Bridger, Vice President Human Resources – Talent Management for Compeer. “The shared experience, learnings and relationships formed empower us forward on our leadership journeys.”

The Women of Distinction program focuses on professional development for women leaders, within the framework of the roles women played in the epic Gettysburg battle and in leadership today. The 4-day program combines classroom instruction, illustrative visits to the battlefield, small group discussions and ample time for reflection and networking. Expert facilitators and guides offer lessons on the importance of the perspective afforded by the higher ground, transactional and transformational leadership and predictable surprises.

“We all have leadership within us and can learn how to build a team and empower every person to be successful,” says Aishwaria Srinivasan Iyer, who attended the Women of Distinction program while an individual contributor and has since been promoted to Team Leader Data Architecture. “I gained a great deal of insight into leadership from the guides and from the other women at Compeer as they shared their experiences and listened to mine.”

Women of Distinction was initially developed with Compeer in 2021. Open enrollment programs are now offered to women from different Farm Credit organizations. However, Compeer values the strong internal networks that arise from the facilitated small group discussions throughout the program.

“Gettysburg offers an intimate setting that allowed our group to really get to know each other through a shared expectation of transparency and vulnerability and a willingness to connect,” says Lori Fetzer, Compeer’s Director of Animal Ag Lending – Dairy. “Over the course of the week, we were able to identify strengths in each other to offset our own weaknesses and start to build mentoring relationships that I rely on still today.”

In addition to the Women of Distinction program, Compeer has amplified leadership learning and network building through a follow-up program called Trailblazers. This series of in-person and virtual events connects all Women of Distinction participants, building on the shared experiences of being women leaders and participating in the Gettysburg program to foster even stronger networks.

“Trailblazers helps maintain the relationships we started at Gettysburg and offers an opportunity to reflect back on those lessons and how we’re each applying them at Compeer, wherever we’ve moved in our careers,” says Shelby Rauch, Manager of Credit Risk. “The diversity of the attendees we’ve connected with, who represent a cross-section of the organization, also makes doing our jobs easier because we have connections in different departments.”

Participation in Compeer’s Women of Distinction program is by invitation based on manager and leader recommendations. For each group, Compeer strives to represent different functions and locations.

“Women of Distinction has been very well received and we’re extremely pleased with the leadership perspectives, development and networks the program helped foster,” says Leah.

To discuss a dedicated Women of Distinction program for your association, contact John Regentin at 717.752.0495 or via email, or visit Women of Distinction to learn more about the program or register for an upcoming Open Enrollment program.