Have you ever thought about how sending just one email could have such a significant impact on the lives of others?
For Jill Gateman, TD Bank’s new Co-Head of Commercial Banking, that email was about her son's high school baseball team schedule. For the people who received it, the message Jill shared had such a profound impact that it still guides Jill today and shapes who she is as a leader.
When she sent the email nearly a decade ago, Jill had recently been promoted at another financial institution to a regional Corporate Banking leadership role. She decided to let the people who reported to her know that she made it a priority to attend her son's games, as this would be his final baseball season. She also noted in the email that she could be reached via text or by phone, and that she would be back online right after the game – but she made it clear, that she would be going to every game her son was pitching.
"Fast forward, I was nominated and ultimately awarded the firm's annual Working Mother of the Year recognition. I later learned that I was nominated by several women who cited my transparency around prioritizing motherhood and choosing to go to my son's games as the ultimate exemplification of what it means to be a working mother," Jill said. "You just never anticipate the effect that you'll have on other people who may share similar challenges. They're watching. That has stuck with me, and that's only emboldened and empowered me to be open when I'm prioritizing my family again."
Finding her own path to success
Jill has been breaking the mold throughout her banking career, which started at the age of 16 when she was an assistant to the head teller at a local New Jersey community bank. After college, Jill continued to ascend the corporate ladder, leading a team in upper middle market lending until she made the choice to step back after the birth of her first child.
"It was the hardest decision I ever had to make, and it was the best decision I ever made," Jill said.
After several weeks at home, a prior client who had recently started a Small Business Investment Corp reached out to Jill about a part-time remote role as a Managing Director, which was a rare option in 1998.
Subsequently, what might appear as a step backwards provided Jill with an incredible opportunity to deepen her knowledge of the Private Equity community broaden her overall skill set.
She returned to working for a large bank after a decade away when a former boss reached out about a job. Since that time, Jill's career has been successful due in large part to the breadth of her experience in so many different areas of the financial industry.
"I came through the ranks, and I can empathize with what people at every level are going through right now," Jill said. "My most important goal is to enable everyone who works within Commercial Banking at TD to be great and confidently feel like they have an opportunity to bring their best and 'whole self' to work. I want them to develop a career that is satisfying, rewarding and fun. I also recognize that means different things to different people and I celebrate that."
Jill's work ethic is legendary, but she credits her ability to build relationships as a strong factor in her success.
"I never hang up the phone on any business discussion before spending two minutes getting to know someone on a personal level, " Jill said. " When you think about how you develop relationships from a corporate perspective, it's delivering. It's doing what you say you're going to do."
The move to TD
Jill joined TD in 2023 to lead TD's Middle Market, Asset-Based and Sponsor-Backed Finance business segments, where she drove increased market penetration and expanded national coverage. This September, Jill and Andy Bregenzer were named as Co-Heads of U.S. Commercial Banking for TD Bank.
She now leads TD's National Commercial Banking portfolios, including Middle Market, Sponsor-Backed Finance and TD's other Specialty Lending lines of business. Jill also continues to partner with TD Securities and TD Cowen to focus on delivering advisory and investment banking services to TD's Commercial Banking clients and prospects.
The Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF) Gender Balance Index 2023 report found globally, in commercial banks, women make up just 19% of C-suite positions. At TD, women leaders in Commercial Banking are leading products and innovation, distribution, regional banking, strategy, and operations.
Having diverse perspectives and leadership brings about many incalculable benefits, according to Jill. "Diversity is more effective from a business perspective, so much data offers proof of that. It just so happens that to be successful you need a diverse team."
Diversity provides TD with a powerful way to connect with customers and offer them the best service possible. Jill is optimistic about the Commercial Bank’s future in serving and supporting clients.
"We offer them the white glove, community-based service profile with the backdrop of an extremely strong investment bank," she said. "We can bring the best of the advisory and investment banking services to our communities in a way that other organizations don't. We are positioned for great success going forward."