June 23, 2021

Employee Spotlight: Gina Stoddard, Chief of Staff

Meet Gina Stoddard, Madison’s Chief of Staff. Gina joined the team about a year ago and has since been an integral part of developing our company’s culture. If you have worked with Gina, you know you can count on her to get the job done with a smile on her face. We sat down with Gina to find out what it’s like running the staff in a successful Trust company.

As the Chief of Staff, what does your daily workday look like?  

When I get into work, I open my emails instantly and create a priority list for the day, ranging from high priority, general, and pending. I also do the preparation work for all the chief executive’s meetings which includes creating the agenda, talking points, zoom links, etc.

I also act as the liaison between executives and staff. I like to be the contact person that anyone can go to. I work closely with the Chief Executive and Chief Compliance Officer to make sure everyone is happy. I check in with everyone daily and try to do everything possible to relieve any stress. I also play a role in the hiring process. I am the contact person between the recruiter and our company. I set up interviews, participate in the second interview, and ensure that onboarding goes smoothly.  

How long have you worked in the financial industry?

I have about 10 years of experience in the financial industry. Before joining Madison Trust, I worked as a Marketing Manager at Primary Financial.

What is your favorite part of your job?  

I love the culture at Madison. I enjoy getting to know everyone on a personal level as well as at a work level. We are kind of like a family here, especially since we spend more time here than we do at home. Everyone here is always looking out to help one another. I can ask anyone for help, and they would gladly step up and get the job done.

I also enjoy that everyone here is very understanding. We are allowed to make mistakes. I made a mistake once and still talk about it as if it is the end of the world. However, when this happened, the Chief Executive reminded me that I am human so try not to be so hard on myself. He acts this way towards every manager, which then is streamlined to all the teams. This makes it a great overall culture for all.

Do you have a favorite company event that you took part in?

My first experience here was the food truck challenge. We were broken up into teams and tasked with being the best food truck. They gave us all the ingredients and supplies needed to succeed. We created a menu, cooked the food, and strategized a marketing campaign. My favorite part of this team-building event was to see people out of their usual work element and truly having fun. I knew I made the right decision to work here when the company put a lot of time, resources, and effort into making their employees happy. This in turn makes the employees grateful to be part of a company that truly cares for their happiness and wellbeing. Consequently, we are motivated to create an excellent experience for our customers.  

What are your hobbies outside of work?  

I enjoy spending time with my family and look forward to spending weekends with them. Before quarantine, every weekend was jammed packed with birthday parties and weddings. It is nice to put all of that on pause for a little bit and spend more quality time with my family.

I am also trying to better myself. I selected a word to summarize how I would like my year to be described: Thrive. I bought a book and a bracelet that has the word Thrive on it, which is a great reminder and keeps me on track. I chose this word because I wanted to focus on how I can persevere through anything. I did some research and thrive happened to be the optimistic word for persevere, making it the perfect choice.

What are the next steps for Madison?

Madison’s mission is to enable our clients to achieve a richer retirement and provide them a pleasant journey getting there. To help bring this mission to life, Madison has plans to expand our offerings, verticals, and referral sources, as well as improve our overall employee and client experience.


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Corporate Headquarters:
Madison Trust Company
401 East 8th Street • Suite 200
Sioux Falls, SD 57103
Mailing Address:
Madison Administration Company
One Paragon Drive • Suite 275
Montvale, NJ 07645
Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 9:00AM - 6:00PM EST
Friday: 10:00AM - 4:00PM EST
Saturday/Sunday: Closed
Contact:
(800) 721-4900
[email protected]
F: 845-947-1212
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