Power of Women: Tina Drake
Financial Trust Administrator
March honors Women’s History Month and we are excited to highlight all of the dynamic women in our Power of Women Employee Resource Group to draw attention to the deliberate action that we are taking as a group & as an institution to empower & uplift the women in our community. Our goal is to be leaders & mentors at Berkshire Bank, and to also model a system of uplift & support for our entire Berkshire Bank community & the banking world at large.
Today, we are celebrating Tina Drake
How do you define a leader?
Strong person man/woman who shows respect, gives respect, guides you, recognizing your strengths and faults. Someone who is committed to succeeding on her own as well as being part of Team as a whole. Teamwork!!
Who is your “Shero” one of the biggest influencers/mentor in your life and career? Why?
I don’t really have a Shero, mine would be one of my favorite bosses, Jim Laffery.
I had no experience working in the Graphics and marketing field, but nevertheless, he hired me, trained me in Photoshop as well as Graphic Arts. By working hard and being a team player and having great work ethics, I was promoted to being the Team Leader of the Graphics Dept — supervising 12 Graphic Artists. He believed in my ability that lead to the with promotion to the sole Graphic Designer for a new Division within the company.
He showed me if you worked hard, were a loyal employee, learned from your mistakes, respected everyone, could managed constructive criticism as well as praise, you will become a great leader.
Can you recall a defining moment when you were mentored by your Shero or another woman? What did that experience teach you?
When one our customer service dept. members told a client that we could produce a 36 page double sided, full color booklet in 24 hours, which really should of been 48 hours. I did not have the confidence, along with anxiety that I could not complete this design in the time frame. My direct supervisor Shirley, talked to me, calmed me down, gave me the guidance to do so, and worked along side me thru the night and finishing the booklet.
How do you celebrate the women in your life?
We get together for cocktails, dinner and birthday celebrations as often as we can and talk regularly on the phone to check in for support
Where do you find your power?
From other women in my life, whether at work or close friends, by their own experiences that I can relate to from my own downfalls and success
The Power of Women (POW) employee resource group is a safe space for all people who identify as female and their allies. The goal of this ERG is to support women in the workplace by suggesting programming including mentoring and coaching, reviewing corporate communication efforts, elevating important topics to management and organizing celebratory events.
