Alec Palmer, ’20

Major: Finance
Minor: Communication Studies
Residence: Detroit, Michigan
Career: MMBSI Commercial Banking Analyst at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

In a nutshell, what do you do?

I assist senior bankers, underwriters, and treasury management officers to provide a range of financing solutions and strategic advice for current and prospective clients across a variety of industries. The clients I deal with are mid-sized, for-profit companies that have net annual revenues ranging from $20 million to $1 billion. I contribute to live deals though the implementation of cash flow models, profitability models, price benchmarking, market and business analytics, client risk grading, and credit facility risk grading.

Why do you love what you do?

I love what I do because it allows me to interact daily with companies that are well-established and are actively trying to scale their market-share in the industry in which they operate. I meet with owners and CEO’s of companies who have an open dialogue with me about where their company is and where they would like their company to be. For me personally, I love having the opportunity to analyze the many facets of a company and try to piece together a story that illustrates how the company is operating financially and logistically. Every day there are new challenges to think about and overcome, new clients and business partners to meet, and new skills and ideas to learn and refine.

How did Albion help you get there?

My time at Albion played a key part in helping me prepare for and succeed within my current role. My professors were engaging and provided courses that were intellectually stimulating, whilst providing me with the tools I needed to succeed. Many of the topics that I learned in my classes transitioned to my current career, so having a strong foundation has been instrumental in allowing me to outperform many of my peers. Albion also taught me the interpersonal skills required to take my professional career to the next level. I am thankful to have had professors and advisors who challenged me throughout my tenure as a student to not only achieve my goals but also to outperform the goals I originally set for myself.

For me, Albion…

…is a unique place that gives students the skills and resources needed to pursue their passions. My time at Albion allowed me to travel abroad, play collegiate sports, and build lifelong relationships with my peers and professors without forcing me to sacrifice my academic and professional ambitions.