Mikesha Murray
“My mom had me at the age of sixteen, never finished college, but she sacrificed everything for me to be able to go and get my master’s degree.”
Mikesha Murray graduated from Florida Atlantic University with the intent of making an impact on people’s physical health. Her impact instead would be helping others financially.
“I had my bachelor’s in Health Administration but there was a bank on campus, Bank Atlantic, that was hosting an “open house”. My friend wanted me to accompany her, and I probably wasn’t dressed for success, but I interviewed, and I ended up being hired. My manager and team at the time were so dynamic, that it was really my introduction to the financial sector.”
“We had international students that would come in, students just starting out in college, and just being able to help them start their financial journey is what really kept me in the industry.”
Mikesha would show them the cornerstones of banking. How to use a checkbook, how to write a check, and how to use online banking, she found the camaraderie that she had whilst simultaneously enriching their lives financially was exactly what she was looking for.
“At the campus branch, there was a manager, Mark Sollenberger, who just, by the way, he led us, really just helped to build the passion inside me and it made me want to be a leader like him. I wanted to be able to help others, so him teaching us how to help and how to make a difference in not just clients, but employees’ lives as well, really warmed my heart.”
Mark would share a message with Mikesha, something that she still passes along to each new member of her team all these years later.
“At the end of the day, what we need to do as financial people is that we need to make a difference in the lives of the people that we touch every single day because we never know what people are going home to. So, if we can make a difference and we can put a smile on someone’s face, then it’s our job and responsibility to do so, and be the “talk” of the dinner table that night. Ever since I started my banking career, I have never forgotten that story.”
After graduation, thoroughly indoctrinated in the financial sector, Mikesha would work at Bank of Atlantic in Boynton Beach, working her way up to the position of Customer Service/Sales Manager. In her role, she would go on to win the Customer Service Manager of the Year Award in the Palm Beach/Treasure Coast Region.
“I had a customer who was trying to grow their woodworking business. He was having trouble with financing, and we were able to get him his first line of business credit. His company was able to purchase more equipment and hire more employees. I can’t put into words how grateful he was to be afforded the opportunity to expand the business.”
In 2017, after three years of diligent work at TD Bank, Mikesha was promoted to Store Manager / Assistant Vice President of the Boca Raton location. In her role, she has proactively increased store production growth, resulting in deposits increasing from $129 million to $160 million.
Mikesha volunteers with the Miami-Broward Carnival. This non-profit organization is dedicated to fostering community pride and civic involvement and providing critical opportunities to the Caribbean people of South Florida. It was through her work here that Mikesha would be introduced to the Financial Advisory Council.
Still, after all the achievements she has come upon, Mikesha’s real goal was always to make her mother proud.
“My biggest personal accomplishment is just making my mom proud. I think just where I am in my career alone makes her proud and I’m just happy that I can put a smile on her face when she is able to talk about her daughter.”
