黄色直播

Earning an MBA degree mid-career was not on Victor Pellegrino鈥檚 radar when he began an undergraduate degree in ancient history. The Montreal-born banking executive was, at that point, a young McGill student who happened to have diverse interests, including math, science鈥攁nd business. After graduation, when an opportunity arose to work in customer service at the Bank of Montreal, Pellegrino took it. The year was 1986.

聽鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know much about banking so I began to educate myself,鈥� recalls Pellegrino. He quickly learned that the industry was more diverse than he鈥檇 imagined. 鈥淧eople think of banking as the branch network, tellers and lenders, but it鈥檚 much more complex than that,鈥� he says. BMO also offered educational opportunities: 鈥淭he bank has an Institute of Learning that鈥檚 like a university environment and allows us to hone our skills,鈥� he explains. Pellegrino鈥檚 penchant for educating himself, making himself 鈥渕ore marketable鈥� and seizing opportunities led him through several roles. In the early 1990s, he became an account manager; by the late 1990s he was named to a leadership role. Then, in 2002, something happened that he wasn鈥檛 expecting: BMO sent him back to school.

聽鈥淏MO was running an integrated program with Dal, and I was asked if I would be open to joining the team and doing my MBA in Financial Services,鈥� Pellegrino explains. He had doubts at first: 鈥淚 had been out of school for a while. I was in my early forties and I said, 鈥楯eez, do I want to do this?鈥欌�� he recalls. 鈥淏ut I was flattered to be asked.鈥� Pellegrino had hands-on experience, but hadn鈥檛 explored his industry in a classroom setting. 鈥淚t was an opportunity for me to develop my skill set and to further my goal of becoming an executive.鈥�

Pellegrino was living in Montreal. Like the MBA (Financial Services) instructors, he flew to Toronto for the lectures at BMO鈥檚 Institute for Learning; for the intensive sessions that finished each course, the BMO group traveled to Halifax. 鈥淵ou learn how to manage your time,鈥� says Pellegrino, 鈥渂ecause you鈥檙e also still working, running your area full-time.鈥� Despite the challenging schedule, Pellegrino enjoyed his courses, especially International Business and Management. 鈥淭hey added to my skill set and gave me immediate advantage in my everyday interactions at work,鈥� he says.

Student diversity makes the MBA (FS) program invaluable in Pellegrino鈥檚 eyes. 鈥淲hat I loved most was the exchange that resulted from bringing people together from different backgrounds and cultures,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou expand your horizon with diversity around the table. It was different from the classroom experience I鈥檇 had in my undergrad. What I learned in the MBA (FS) I鈥檝e applied to my career later.鈥� These skill sets involve leveraging the abilities of a team, explains Pellegrino, something he strongly believes in. And the other side of that coin, he says, is learning not to jump to conclusions: 鈥淵ou learn to step back and weigh things,鈥� says Pellegrino, 鈥渉ow to listen carefully and value people鈥檚 opinions. It鈥檚 so important not to rush to solutions鈥攊f we do that we probably haven鈥檛 spent nearly enough time identifying what the problem is.鈥�

On the day he received his MBA, Pellegrino learned that he was to become an executive at BMO. 鈥淥ctober 28, 2006,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淚 was named Commercial Vice-President for the island of Montreal.鈥�

While he had reached a major goal, Pellegrino did not stop there. He has since taken on progressively senior roles at BMO. After a recent short stay in Halifax as Senior Vice-President Atlantic Canada, he moved to Ottawa to become Senior VP Eastern and Central Ontario. 鈥淚 oversee the branch network as well as commercial banking,鈥� he explains, 鈥渨ith about 1,000 employees under my leadership.鈥� Pellegrino is one of only eight BMO Senior VPs in Canada. 鈥淚 am where I want to be in terms of career development,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut I would most certainly welcome a return to Atlantic Canada.鈥�

Pellegrino and his family loved Halifax, he says, and he still feels a strong link with 黄色直播. Through his intensives as well as discussion with faculty and students, he has realized that the Rowe School of Business MBA programs are a 鈥渃ritical driver鈥� in the region. Pellegrino, who is a strong proponent of liberal arts graduates鈥攍ike him鈥攎oving on to business studies, believes it is essential for MBA programs to teach students how to successfully communicate. He has consulted with 黄色直播 faculty about diversifying the MBA (FS) program and about the need for graduates with strong language skills and hopes to continue his involvement with the MBA (FS). 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great program at a great school with a huge reputation,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful for my time here and for its influence on my career.鈥� He believes continued innovation is vital to the program: 鈥淭he challenge is staying relevant in the marketplace and current environment.鈥�

For Pellegrino, then, the MBA (FS) needs to continually evolve and learn鈥攎uch like himself. Speaking of working in the fast-paced banking environment, including with new graduates, Pellegrino expresses the philosophy that has led him to where he is: 鈥淲e keep working at it. We keep learning. It鈥檚 a never-ending journey. That鈥檚 what makes it fascinating.鈥�