Larry's Blog: Black History Month Honoree Suzanne Shank
By 1010 WINS' Larry Mullins
I got to meet a Titan; one of the biggest names on Wall Street today, (who wasn't a Trump or a Buffett or even a Gates or Walton). And it was actually quite refreshing; Suzanne Shank is a downhome southerner (Savannah, Georgia) who found her way to the street back in 1996. That's when Muriel "Mickey" Seibert and Napolean Brandford asked her to take charge of what used to be a small boutique municipal finance firm. She still refers to it as small, but I know better and I call'em as I see'em. Ms. Shank told me before that, she didn't know a thing about Wall Street ("not even in college", she said) but wanted to take their confidence in her to the next level.
Boy did she!!
Just so you know, Mickey Siebert was the so-called "first lady of Wall Street," once upon a time the only woman with a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. Mickey chose Ms. Shank to run Siebert Brandford & Shank, LLC. That's confidence!
More: Black History Month Photos | One-On-One With Suzanne Shank
Mind you, Suzanne Shank is a petite young woman, about 5'5, but she wields one of the biggest and most powerful voices in municipal finance in the country. SBS is the firm that puts together financing for building infrastructures, schools, airports (and any other major city operation that you use on a daily basis). The city and state of New York are her clients, as well as Chicago, Boston, Dallas etc. The company (under her leadership) has underwritten more than $2 trillion dollars in municipal bonds! It's mind blowing until you meet Suzanne Shank, and her humble approach which makes it all seem like another day at the office. For her, how about 17 offices, and two headquarters on both coasts!
Web Extra: Siebert Brandford & Shank
She doesn't think of herself as a hero, although what she has done in such a short period makes her a stand out. Under her watch, SBS is the most powerful female, minority (Black and Hispanic) owned municipal finance firm in the country. The Wharton school of business (her alma mater) even acknowledged her with one of its "most outstanding" trail blazers awards. Yet, she still doesn't think of herself as having done anything special.
All I know is Oprah, Barbara Walters, Martha Stewart and Carly Fiorina aren't the only stand-out names among women we talk about in the world of finance. Quiet as it's kept, Suzanne Shank is the real deal. You'll hear it in her voice and in her advice (she's also a coast to coast mentor) when you listen to my extended interview with her, here on this site.