Our People in Commercial Banking
Want to know what it's like to work at Wells Fargo? Our team members can tell you more about what makes this a unique place to begin your career. Click below to view profiles of our team members in Commercial Banking and learn about their experiences!
Andres - Commercial Banking
Art - Commercial Banking
Michael - Commercial Banking
Priya - Commercial Banking
Tran - Commercial Banking
Meet Andres
Location: Chicago, IL
Business Group: Commercial Banking
Education: B.S., Finance, University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign
My role
I worked on a large, syndicated deal that my group was heading, and I was given the opportunity to create the memorandum that was used for the initial conference calls with other loan team members. It was an amazing experience because I knew that everyone on that call was counting on the accuracy and detail of my writing, as well as my knowledge of the background of the potential credit deal. I learned a lot about concise business writing, crucial financial statement analytical skills, and the proper communication methods used by my team. I was able to work with relationship managers, analysts, relationship associates, portfolio managers, loan team managers, and many others involved with the deal. I definitely was challenged often when new tasks and skills were introduced, and I knew the only way for me to learn was to be willing and able to handle things with an open mind. My portfolio manager commended me for the work that I did on the deal, which fueled me to continue to do great work and to strive for my best when working with others on a credit deal.
Skill development
I have always considered communication the most crucial professional skill, and one that can always be improved. I made it my focus this past summer to communicate with other professionals and not to be afraid to ask for help or to seek guidance. Good communication is the most vital skill in the workplace, and one that will allow me to develop myself in many other ways.
Most memorable experience
My most memorable experience during the program occurred when a few interns and I had the chance to work on a community service project in Chicago and then present it to a panel of judges for a possible charitable donation in our name. We chose to make an interactive website presentation with a focus on the increasing crime and youth homicide rate in Chicago. I have always had strong feelings for philanthropy, so I was proud to have had the opportunity to make a difference in my community. Although we did not win the money, we were able to volunteer for Kids Off the Block, an afterschool youth center on the South Side of Chicago.
Beyond the office
I put together a team for a summer softball outing hosted by Commercial Real Estate, and I could not have been happier to participate in that tournament. We made it to the championship game and ended up tying for the win after rain indefinitely postponed the competition. It was very rewarding to receive positive feedback for my actions and leadership with the team, and I will never forget the experience. I was able to meet team members from the Commercial Real Estate and Wealth Management groups, and I made contacts for future events within Wells Fargo.
Going full-time
I had very specific priorities when deciding where to work and start my career after graduation. More than anything, I wanted a culture where I felt comfortable and where I felt that my efforts provided real value and would make a difference. During my summer at Wells Fargo, I quickly realized that everyone in the office truly cared about my career goals. I know that the paths that I can take with the Financial Analyst Program will be tailored to my needs and will include many opportunities that I cannot find anywhere else.
Why you should apply
Like other Finance majors my age, I did not know what I wanted to do with my major following college. The Summer Financial Analyst Program gave me the exposure that I needed to make an informed decision about my career goals and where I want to be in the future. The work that is done is real and adds value from the start, so I was able to see the big picture right away. The internship was very analytical, which helped reinforce what I was studying in school and show me where my future career could lead. I am excited for what comes next and I know that my decision to go full time with Wells Fargo was facilitated by my experiences in the Summer Financial Analyst Program.
Meet Art
Location: San Francisco, SF
Business Group: Commercial Banking
Education: B.A., Spanish Literature, University of California, Santa Barbara
My role
I am an analyst with Commercial Banking, and we work with mid-sized businesses — companies that have between $20 million and $500 million in annual revenue. I help the relationship managers in my office prepare documents necessary to get a loan approved by our loan supervision team. More specifically, I help prospect for new business, analyze current and prospective companies, and help manage our credit relationships.
What keeps me interested?
What's interesting in Commercial Banking is how many different types of companies you get to see, such as real estate investors, technology companies (even start-ups), entertainment, nonprofit organizations, retail, travel and leisure, and many other industries. Some of the companies I'm building a relationship with are actually ones I know and frequent.
What I really like about my job is being able to break down a company to its bare bones and figure out how it functions, how it raises capital, how risky it is, how we mitigate those risks, and how we can structure a credit relationship. Once a prospect passes our preliminary evaluation or we renew the relationship, we think creatively about how to structure a deal that works for both Wells Fargo and the company. When all is said and done, we are helping companies in our neighborhoods reach their goals. How cool is that?
Support for my career
The Credit Fundamentals training, the course all financial analysts take when they start the Financial Analyst Program, was phenomenal. It amounted to two of the most fun and challenging weeks of my life. There were 40 analysts from around the U.S. and Canada who were brought together to learn the basics of credit underwriting. I was able to interact not only with people from all over North America, but also with people from different lines of business, different experience levels, and very diverse backgrounds. The training kept me on my toes, but it also gave me the opportunity to network and socialize. I left Credit Fundamentals with a strong network of young professionals that I can rely on as I begin my career with Wells Fargo.
Wells Fargo culture
The culture at Wells Fargo is professional but relaxed. We are on a first-name basis and people are friendly, energetic, relationship-minded, and driven by client satisfaction. It's a culture where we put our clients' needs first, and everything else falls into place.
Plus, Wells Fargo is a company with a strong record of community involvement, volunteerism, and philanthropy. As someone who came from the nonprofit sector, I have found that Wells Fargo truly aims to create change in the local community. It's a rewarding place to work.
Meet Michael
Location: St. Louis, MO
Business Group: Commercial Banking
Education: B.S., Finance, Truman State University
My role
Throughout the summer, I worked on many credit deals and projects in various industries. One project I worked on was a full credit report (FCR) for a business prospect that our team had just made a deal with. I worked on the report with a relationship manager in our office and the loan team manager, who also was my manager. I learned how to analyze a company’s financial and operational strengths and weaknesses, how to conduct financial and industry analyses, and how to prepare the underwriting memorandum. It was challenging because it was my first credit report and I did not know where to find all of the information about the company. I collaborated with the relationship manager and my manager, and they helped me to find the resources I needed to finish the credit deal, which ultimately was approved. I used what I learned from this experience to successfully complete other FCRs.
Skill development
One skill in particular that I developed was the ability to learn things and synthesize information quickly. I collaborated with analysts and relationship managers in structuring multimillion-dollar transactions, so it was important for me to continually increase my knowledge. My manager said that it was important to be able to learn something new every day, and I took that to heart. I worked with people in different departments throughout the summer and learned something from each one of them.
Most memorable experience
I had many memorable experiences during the program, but if I had to choose one, it would be working with others in the office. Everyone in the office was great and very helpful. My buddy in the program, one of the relationship managers in the office, really helped me develop my analytical skills and challenged me throughout the summer.
Beyond the office
One activity that I participated in outside of the office was a client visit with one of the relationship managers. We went to the prospective client’s office to meet the CEO of the company. This allowed me to see how business deals are made and provided me with insight on how interpersonal skills tie in with analytical skills, which is important to the success of our Commercial Banking team. This activity also allowed me to better understand how to uncover client needs that we can help address with other Wells Fargo products and services.
Going full time
I decided to join the Financial Analyst Program because of the great experience I had as a summer financial analyst. Each day I learned something new and I enjoyed working with others in the office. The work environment was lively, and I enjoyed going to the office every day. The Financial Analyst Program will help me develop many professional skills and hopefully will allow me to participate in the Credit Management Training Program, which is an advanced program in credit analysis.
Why you should apply
I recommend the Summer Financial Analyst Program to other students because it is a great opportunity to develop your professional skills. You get the opportunity to learn from others in the office, challenge yourself, and work with other departments that you might be interested in. You also receive guidance and mentorship from experienced managers, participate in volunteer activities in the community, network with other summer analysts and full-time analysts, and meet and hear Wells Fargo’s top leaders. The program also gives you lots of training to help you develop the skills you need to be good at the job.
Meet Priya
Location: Summer, NJ
Business Group: Commercial Banking
Education: B.S., Finance, The College of New Jersey
My role on a project
One project that I worked on was creating an industry alert for a company that produces laser optics. At first this project was a bit intimidating because I did not know anything about the industry, but I was able to collaborate with other members of the Commercial Strategies team to learn how to do the necessary research and learn how to construct an industry alert. With guidance from full-time team members, I was able to successfully complete the task and learn new information.
Skill development
Working at Wells Fargo this summer improved my ability to balance teamwork with individual achievements to maximize the benefits of work. Working with the Commercial Strategies group allowed me to be responsible for my own projects that I constructed from the beginning. However, I always had the option to seek out another group member if I had any questions. Similarly, when I finished individual projects to the best of my ability, other Commercial Strategies team members would always provide suggestions to improve my work, which helped me to improve in current and future projects.
Most memorable experience
My most memorable experience during the program was being trained by another Commercial Strategies team member, who flew in from Florida to teach proper benchmarking techniques. The experience highlighted how Wells Fargo encourages and invests in the continuous learning of its full-time team members, as well as its Summer Financial Analysts.
Beyond the office
One of my favorite activities was going on a boat cruise around New York City with summer financial analysts working in New York and surrounding areas. This experience was incredibly rewarding because I not only met other interns and learned about the work that they do with Wells Fargo, but I also met people who were part of the full-time Financial Analyst Program and learned about their experiences in the program.
Going full time
I joined the Financial Analyst Program full-time because I really enjoy the nature of the work I perform. I am given responsibility, but there’s always a team to support me when I need help or have questions. The job gives me the opportunity to work with many different groups in Wells Fargo, so I can continue to learn more about what Wells Fargo has to offer.
Why you should apply
I would recommend the Summer Financial Analyst Program to current students because it provides a great opportunity to get real-world experience in finance. Most importantly, the program ensures that you are educated not only on the work you will be doing over the summer, but also on other jobs that are available in the industry. I found this opportunity highly beneficial because as students, we are not aware of all the jobs available to business majors, and Wells Fargo does an excellent job exposing of you to a lot of paths you could take. Wells Fargo provides summer financial analysts with the opportunity to speak with leaders of different divisions in Wells Fargo who educate the interns on work available all throughout the bank and industry as a whole.
Meet Tran
Location: Seattle, WA
Business Group: Commercial Banking
Education: B.A., General Studies, Western Washington University
My role on a project
I am an analyst in Commercial Banking. We work with mid-sized companies with between $20 million and $500 million in annual revenue. My office works with so many interesting projects and clients. For example, we financed the new Ferris wheel that has been constructed on the Seattle waterfront. The structure will be a prominent tourist attraction that will forever change the skyline. It’s exciting to be part of the city’s history.
I also am responsible for completing all reports for the city’s professional sports franchise. It is interesting to see how fans react to business decisions. For instance, when reviewing financial statements, changes in costs and revenues can be attributed to player contracts, ticket sales, and media revenue. It is fascinating when you can evaluate your client in real-time.
What keeps me interested
I find it most rewarding when I have earned time in front of clients. It is satisfying to know that a relationship manager trusts you with his or her client and feels that you will be a valuable part of the discussion and deal. I have attended several client meetings and events including the initial meeting, document signing, celebration dinner, and an auction where I hosted a client when the relationship manager was unable to attend. I feel fortunate that my office has chosen to invest in my development in such a meaningful way.
Support for my career
All analysts are required to take the Credit Fundamentals training, which I took after being in the office for two weeks. It gave me insight into Wells Fargo’s credit culture and philosophy. Additionally, the technical training helped familiarize me with the concepts and terminology used in the office every day. The two-week training culminated with a final case study, in which students worked as a group to complete a full credit report and present their findings to a mock loan committee. This final task pulled all the concepts together and gave an accurate depiction of the steps that a relationship manager must take to complete a deal.
Wells Fargo culture
During my internship in Philadelphia, I sought out and volunteered with the Bethesda Project, which provides shelter, housing, and programs to support chronically homeless men and women in Philadelphia. I specifically volunteered with Our Brother’s Place, a men’s homeless shelter that serves 150 men daily with three meals a day, overnight shelter, physical and mental health services, etc. At Our Brother’s Place, I volunteered every Tuesday from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m., working in the kitchen helping to prepare and serve meals. The most rewarding moment was setting up a Philadelphia Institutional Metro Markets office-wide collection drive for gently worn men’s clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc. We collected more than 20 complete outfits for the men and a ton of toiletries. The smiles on those guys’ faces and the gratitude in their eyes made the moment priceless. From volunteering at Our Brother’s Place, I met men from all different walks of life. I was able to hear their stories, their present situations, and what they hoped for in the future. This was such a humbling and awesome experience.
Going full-time
I found the culture here unexpected for a large corporation — it’s more like what I would expect to find in a smaller, regional office. Our leaders are friendly, warm, and approachable. We work as a team and are friends outside of the office.
Words of advice
Network. Establishing and keeping strong connections throughout your career will help you become successful. If you have people advocating for you, you gain credibility and are given opportunities that you would not have received otherwise.