June 18, 2012
When it comes to technology, change is the only constant. And
for alumna Susan Certoma ’80CBA, ’85MBA that’s precisely what makes
the field so exciting.
“When I studied at St. John’s, I explored a variety of
subjects,” she explained. “But what I enjoyed most was the
beginning of the technological explosion. It was happening on a
very personal level at that time, and I was fascinated with the
rise of PCs and how it could mix with the financial
industry.”
Throughout her over-30-year career, Certoma has specialized in
understanding the way technology and business intersect. She
currently serves as President of Brokerage Processing Services at
Broadridge Financial Solutions and credits much of her success to
her St. John’s education.
“St. John’s is one of the premier universities in New York,”
Certoma said. “When I graduated in 1980, the economy was not in a
good state – very similar to today and quite difficult to get a
job. But I applied to a few places and wound up getting hired by
Banker’s Trust within their Strategic Planning Department, and
things snowballed from there.”
That was just the start of an illustrious career for Certoma, who
would go on to hold positions with high-profile organizations like
Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers and Ernst &
Young. As technology has evolved over the years, especially the
recent rise in smartphones and social media, she has had to remain
on her toes and keep an open mind.
“The explosion has really been tremendous, and technology is
running at a pace that’s faster than just about anyone can keep up
with,” she noted. “It’s changed the whole face of what we do in the
financial industry, and at times it can almost seem
overwhelming.”
In order to help St. John’s students learn about the future of
business technology, Certoma and a handful of her colleagues came
to the Queens campus to host the Alumni Insider’s View…Roundtable
Discussion with Broadridge. Throughout the program, she provided a
comprehensive overview of how business and technological strategies
have converged and what students can expect to see down the
road.
“I truly love academia,” Certoma said. “And, as you could imagine,
I still feel a strong connection to St. John’s. There are other
senior executives at Broadridge who are graduates from St. John’s
as well, so we all wanted to provide a helpful program to benefit
the students and prepare them for what they’ll see after they
graduate.”
Certoma is certain that these young men and women will excel once
they receive their St. John’s degrees, and she made sure to share
her own personal story with the students and emphasize the
importance of networking, especially with fellow St. John’s
alumni.
“Stay close with the people you went to school with,” she
explained. “Keep a positive outlook and be confident in yourself,
and good things will happen.”
Having found a job herself during a tough economic stretch, Certoma
is a testament to how far a St. John’s degree can take you, and she
believes that today’s students will overcome the difficult job
market.
“After going to St. John’s, these students have been prepared very
well,” she noted. “They’ll soon find out how everything they’ve
learned in the classroom will come into play in the workforce. And
even though there will be some ups and downs, they just have to be
persistent and they will achieve their dreams.”