photo by steed media service

When Bernadine Jackson-Kelley was growing up, there were only a hand-ful of career options women were encouraged to pursue. After college, she followed in her mother’s footsteps, and began teaching at a small suburban school in Missouri. Not feeling completely fulfilled, a chance meeting with a financial consultant one summer would forever changed the course of her life.

“I ended up going back to school,” explains Jackson-Kelley. “After getting the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in business, I continued to pursue a master’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance.”

Jackson-Kelley discovered her niche in investments and quickly rose through the ranks at Northern Trust Company. Today, as vice president and senior portfolio manager, she’s thriving in this challenging profession.

“I manage portfolios for high net worth individuals, personal worth accounts, agency and starting accounts — typically over $1 million. I have accounts as large as $12-15 million,” explains Jackson-Kelley of her many duties.

Despite her pristine track record, Jackson-Kelley still feels the need to prove herself and believes the key to eliminating financial prejudice lies in creating a more diverse playing field.

“We need more women and minorities in this business,” opines Jackson-Kelley. “It’s very challenging, but it’s also extremely rewarding, when you stay focused on the fact that we can add value to so many areas in the communities. We [should] learn about how to save, how to invest, and how to transfer wealth to the next generation; not just to be consumers, but to make a difference in someone’s life.” - adam jones

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