Blaine Gibson's passion for relationship building inspires his work to attract young talent to a career in financial services in the Milwaukee area.
As a financial advisor, Blaine Gibson understands how important relationships are to building a career and maintaining good rapport within the community he serves. A 30-year-veteran of the financial services industry, he also understands just how critical those connections can be to growth and advancement.
“I’ve been mentored by many people in life, beginning with my father, who set the standard for me to be the best that I can be in everything that I do,” says Gibson, a financial advisor in RBC Wealth Management’s Milwaukee branch. “In financial services, I’ve worked for many leaders who gave me a chance, taught me how to navigate the world of wealth management and allowed me to take on big projects that would lead to greater things.”
That experience is why, when the opportunity to mentor young Black men in the MKE Fellows program presented itself, he jumped at the opportunity. A nonprofit based in Milwaukee, MKE Fellows focuses on advancing Black college students and graduates through mentoring, training, and internships with local businesses. The program aims to help participants graduate college, launch successful careers in their chosen fields, achieve financial stability, and gain the confidence they need to be future leaders.
Not only did Gibson want to help these scholars build relationships and develop their soft skills, but he also wanted to encourage them to stay in the Milwaukee area after graduating.
“Part of the reason why I joined MKE Fellows is the group noticed that these talented, high-performing students were leaving and getting jobs elsewhere after graduation,” Gibson says. “These graduates didn’t seem to realize that there were plenty of opportunities right here in Milwaukee.”
Through his involvement with MKE Fellows, Gibson has opened doors for many young professionals and has helped them build a career in financial services. Some have even been hired as interns with his team at RBC Wealth Management. Gibson has also built relationships with local businesses to provide sponsorships for events and funding for scholarships as the group’s Honorary Chair.
“Exposing these young men to the financial services industry and to RBC is one of the key ways that we can hire diverse candidates and grow our diversity organically,” Gibson says. In large part because of his work bolstering the careers of these young Black men, Gibson received the 2020 RBC Wealth Management-U.S. Diversity Award, which honors employees who demonstrate outstanding achievement and involvement in diversity and inclusion.
“I’m inspired by the bright and motivated young men that I’ve had the privilege to help professionally,” Gibson says. “It’s great to run into them at a Bucks game and learn they’ve started a job. It’s fun to watch them grow and see what they accomplish. I hope they keep the mentoring legacy alive and help someone else down the road.”
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