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Linda Marcelli
Title:Director-Tampa Bay
Company: Merrill Lynch
Experience: Since 1975 year (and all at Merrill Lynch)
Education: B.A. Degree in Psychology from Ohio State University
URL: http://www.ml.com

Managing Wealth at Merrill Lynch...
Join us for an Up Close & Virtual® Interview with Linda Marcelli. She is the Director of the Merrill Lynch, Tampa Bay Complex managing a group of about 200 including financial consultants, support team and leadership team who service High Net Worth Clients and Business Owners in growing and managing their wealth. Ms. Marcelli shares with us her perspective on a career in financial services and her strategies for success in the industry. Read the interview....

Tell us briefly about your company, your area of expertise and responsibilities:
Merrill Lynch manages wealth. We work with wealthy individuals and their families, many of whom are business owners, professionals or corporate executives. We help them manage their wealth, which includes helping to develop a financial plan and making sure all of their lending is done properly. We ensure that all the different areas of asset management are done carefully, taking into consideration the client’s risk tolerance and life goals. We also help them to do estate planning, to make sure their wealth is distributed the way they want it to be.

In the early part of our relationship we help them do college planning for children and grandchildren, and we also do retirement planning and estate trusts.

If you read about ML, there’s a phrase called Total Merrill: we work with the individual and the family to make sure their money works for them.

I manage the Tampa Bay complex, a group of about 200 fine individuals -- financial consultants, a support team and a leadership team.

Describe a day in your professional life...
I get up at 4 a.m. My husband is retired and at home, so I do the things I need to to get him prepared for the day. I feed a pet. I’m in my office usually by 7 to 7:15 a.m., and I spend a half an hour or so quiet time answering mail and setting out the priorities for the day. The balance of the day is spent in meetings with financial advisors and clients, running strategy meeting, working with our assistants and doing whatever training I can to help our people improve their own professional service to our clients.

I often entertain in the evening. Merrill Lynch is active in a number of charities and organizations. And I also recruit, so I’m often meeting with individuals from other firms who feel that the Merrill Lynch platform would be appropriate or better for their clients.

How is technology impacting the nature of your work and how you do your work?
There’s an old adage that you have to measure what you manage. Technology allows me to measure the impact we’re making on our clients’ lives, and in all areas how we’re doing. It allows me to see the performance of our clients, as well as their feelings about that and their relationship here. We’re able to measure strengths and weaknesses.
Was there a lesson or skill learned from your first job that has been invaluable on your career path?
I started as a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch in Boston, about 27 years ago. I think there were two lessons learned. My skills have continued to improve and grow every day I’m on the job, but I learned that number one, I shouldn’t take myself too seriously. Two, humor should be an important part of everyday life. As a leader, who happens to be a woman, those have been very important skills.
"You need to have a very high level of personal integrity, always do what’s right, and care about the people you work with. "

--Linda Marcelli

What is your work ethic, and how did it develop? What inspires you?
I get up at 4 a.m. and usually work a 10- or 12-hour day, sometimes more. Most of my weekends are with my family. We do a lot of employee activities. A lot of our people volunteer their time for any number of charities, and I’m always at those events. I had an epiphany: When I was in college, I had always considered myself a night person. I had afternoon and evening classes and stayed up late studying. One day I had to get up early for something and I realized I was missing half my life. I really changed at that point. I’ve always enjoyed working. I like to work as hard as I can. I enjoy it and feel good about it.
What advice would you give to potential job applicants to help them succeed in the ever-changing global marketplace?
Work hard, and be very focused on your goals. Embrace change. Continually work to help yourself grow and get better. You need to have a very high level of personal integrity, always do what’s right, and care about the people you work with.
Share your Favorite Inspiration Quote or Words of Wisdom:
There are three that I love:

"The man or woman standing on top of the mountain didn’t fall there."

"It’s not important what hand life has dealt you - it’s how you play that hand that counts."

And a Thoreau quote: "If one advances confidently in the direction of his or her dream and endeavors to live the life which he or she has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected."

Advice for Job Seekers:
  • Work hard, and be very focused on your goals
  • Embrace change
  • Continually work to help yourself grow and get better

    --Linda Marcelli


  • Thank you Linda Marcelli for sharing your insights and experience!
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