2008 Outstanding Women in Banking: Gail Mikolich

Gail Mikolich's banking career started with an internship at Northeast Bank in Minneapolis, where she still works today. But it began in earnest with a decisive discussion about her first big promotion, to a supervisory role in bookkeeping..Tom Beck, the bank's president and Mikolich's longstanding mentor, "was a little uncertain because I was pretty young to become the supervisor of a department," Mikolich said. He suggested a trial period and said that if the 23-year-old Mikolich "did okay" she would receive the promotion and a raise. "I said, no, you're either going to give me the job or you're not," Mikolich recalled. Beck was impressed. The job was hers..That flash of leadership was innate or instinctive, but Mikolich further developed her knowledge and leadership skills through ongoing education. She first took an interest in her industry when she enrolled in a six-month banking program at Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park, Minn. She landed the Northeast Bank internship as part of that program. As Mikolich progressed from intern to teller to data processing officer to her current role as executive vice president and chief operating officer, she sought other educational opportunities as well. She completed a bachelor's degree program in organizational leadership at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minn., and is currently enrolled at the Graduate School of Banking in Boulder, Colo..Mikolich said Beck has always encouraged her in educational pursuits. "He always pushed me to further my education," she said. "He never made it a condition of any promotion. It was always about what was good for me — and what was good for me was good for the bank as well," she said..Having seen firsthand how education can help an executive, it is perhaps no wonder that Mikolich is interested in supporting others in ongoing education. She has been a member of Financial Women International for 13 years, and is currently the president of FWI's Twin Cities Metro Group, as well as the board development chair for the FWI association. She is also on the board of Wings of Africa, a nonprofit that focuses on vocational education for girls in Nairobi, Kenya.."Certainly, as part of that, we believe that education is the key to making change. The same can be said of FWI. We feel that education is important and that the more you know the better off you are in the long run," Mikolich said.."I can tell you that where I work I have never felt like I've been held back because I am a woman; I have had many opportunities. But I know that other women outside my bank have had challenges. So I just really believe that we're all in this together, and let's work together to become a stronger force in our industry." Mikolich said..Beyond education, peer support, and plain and simple capability, Mikolich's success has been made in part by her natural leadership tendencies, including vision and persistence.."I don't necessarily give up. If I really believe in something I may hear 'no' a couple of times," she said. "But I'll keep doing my homework and trying to figure out the best way to do something. And eventually a lot of times it comes to fruition.".She also credits a very supportive culture within the bank itself. Northeast Bank's chair and CEO Belva Rasmussen "believes strongly in committees and people having their say," Mikolich said.."It has certainly been a culture of feeling that people really care about other people, and that's really part of our mission and core values, to treat one another with honesty and fairness and respect," Mikolich said..Mikolich said she has been very lucky to work with great people, from her boss, who "always seemed to believe in me," to the people across the organization who work with her day in and day out. "I've been able to do a lot of things outside the bank because" there are a lot of good people working in the bank, she said. "I couldn't do it without them.".In addition to her work with Financial Women International, Mikolich was appointed to the board of the Minnesota Bankers Association in June. She serves as the board liaison to the MBA's emerging markets task force and its security committee.Other 2008 Outstanding Women in Banking honorees include:Christine Hensley, Bank of the West, Des Moines, IowaShelley Steer, Grand Rapids State Bank, Grand Rapids, Minn.Vaune Cripe, American Bank Center, Dickinson, N.D.Marcia Honomichl, Commercial State Bank, Wagner, S.D.