By Denman Wall
Kimberly Unger
CEO, The Security Traders Association of New York, Inc.
As we continue the eInterview series, we kick off 2019 with an interview with Kimberly Unger, CEO of The Security Traders Association of New York, Inc. (STANY) and a member of the NYSAE board of directors. I first met Kimberly a few years ago at one of NYSAE’s luncheons. Since her involvement began with NYSAE, you could tell right away that she was going to have an impact on the organization.
Without further ado, meet Kimberly Unger…
Denman Wall: Being an executive in the association sector is truly a rewarding profession. Being an association executive in New York City can be even more fun. What attracted you to being a part of the association world here in New York?
Kimberly Unger: I did not start my career as an association professional, but found myself in the right place at the right time. I had been working as an attorney in the securities industry and was casually looking to do something more entrepreneurial. I was approached by someone who I knew through business about an opportunity to run a professional industry association. I saw it as a chance to do something challenging, meaningful and quite frankly more fun that litigating. At least in the securities/financial services world, many people come to association work through the industry itself. It has been extremely rewarding and having been involved in association work for many years now, I would certainly recommend it as a career choice.
Denman: Cool. Tell our readers what your organization, The Security Traders Association of New York, Inc., is all about and what exciting projects you're working on these days.
Kimberly: As the name implies The Security Traders Association of New York (STANY) is an association formed to represent the interests of trading professionals. As the industry has developed and become increasingly technology focused, STANY has come to include more than strictly traders. Nevertheless, our members are all involved in some aspect of the trade cycle which includes technology on the front and back end of trades, compliance and legal personnel who support traders, etc. STANY advocates for financial services professionals in a business model neutral way, provides conferences, educational, and networking events for the industry and, through our 501(c)(3) Foundation, supports charitable giving. As we continue to advocate on behalf of our members and expand our conference offerings, we are also excited to focus on several initiatives. Our Women in Finance special interest group, now in its third year, continues to gain traction. It is important to us to encourage women to join a historically male dominated industry as well as support those women who are working to advance in their careers. Earlier this year, STANY added a student membership category and are working hard to include young and future financial services professionals to our membership and offering unique ways for both groups to become engaged. Finally, we are working to expand the Association by representing individuals involved in trading multi-asset classes, for example, fixed income and crypto currencies through new committees and greater inclusion in events. The beauty of being a nimble association is that we can change course and add services as the industry changes and professionals demand. STANY has always been extremely responsive that way.
Denman: I love the idea of nimble organizations. How has being an attorney shaped the way you approach association leadership?
Kimberly: From the start, my background proved beneficial in terms of advocacy, but there are so many ways in which I call upon my legal training. A lawyer’s job is to think about problems and come up with solutions. It is not that different from an association leader’s job. So, while I was a litigator rather than a commercial attorney, I still feel well-prepared for association leadership where I have faced all sorts of legal challenges such as managing liability, following best practices for governance, record retention, and financial management.
Denman: Thanks. Who would you say your mentors and influencers are?
Kimberly: Association work is all about relationships and I have been blessed to be able to form close friendships with some amazing people. I am not sure these names will mean anything to you but, I have learned a tremendous amount from John Tognino, who has served as Chairman of both Fordham University and the Muscular Dystrophy Association and who, like me, joined the association and non-profit world from the securities industry. Several of my board members, Lisa Utasi, Patty Koetzner, and Jim Hyde challenge me to be better person and a better association professional. My first boss as an attorney, Phil Tumbarello, had a huge influence in how I approach problems and work with people. I hope to emulate Jeffrey Hayzlett, who is a consummate professional and is doing an outstanding job connecting people through his C-Suite Network.
Denman: So great to hear that you have several people you can count as mentors. How did you get involved in NYSAE and how has it influenced your career?
Kimberly: My first introduction to NYSAE came through an invitation to an Executive Women’s SIG event. I attended a few outstanding breakfasts and quickly realized the value of NYSAE. I felt immediately welcomed by many of the women I met; Holly Koenig, Linda Ferm, and Jennifer Ian to name just a few. Joel Dolci encouraged me to become more involved and has been tremendously supportive. Participating in NYSAE been tremendous in terms of both expanding my knowledge base as well as forming close relationships with like-minded professionals. Prior to joining and engaging with NYSAE, I was missing a lot because working in a thinly staffed association, where the focus is industry specific, did not allow for interaction with many other association professionals. In the short time that I have been involved with NYSAE, between the programs offered and the connections I have made, I have become a better association leader.
Denman: So cool to hear that. As NYSAE approaches its 100th Anniversary, where do you see the organization making the most impact for the members it serves over the next several years?
Kimberly: NYSAE has been instrumental in the lives of so many association professionals in its long history. It will be exciting to see how that influence continues into its next century. There is room for NYSAE to impact the careers of even more people in the New York/ New Jersey area through its content-rich educational programing and networking events. I’d like to see NYSAE become more of a resource to non-profit professionals as well as continue to reach out to younger participants in the industry.
Thanks so much, Kimberly, for your contributions and participation in NYSAE.
Denman Wall is Sr. Director of Interactive Services at Dolci Interactive and editor of InView.