JEFFREY D. KORZENIK

CHIEF ECONOMIST, FIFTH THIRD BANK, ST. PETERSBURG

Fifth Third Bank is a $200B-plus federally chartered institution operating in 11 states with roughly 20,000 employees. In Florida, it operates 187 branches with 1,513 employees. Korzenik has adocated extensively on the need for a more inclusive labor force — employment pathways for people with criminal records, older workers, people who have left the workforce to care for family members, the neurodiverse and the differently abled.

EDUCATION: Princeton University (B.A.)

FIRST JOB: I was a paperboy for The Hartford Times, the afternoon paper in Hartford, Conn. — no early morning deliveries for me!

DREAM ALTERNATE CAREER: During college, I worked as a desk clerk at the Plaza Hotel in New York and a Hilton property in Connecticut. I love the hospitality industry and have always thought that would have been a great alternative pathway.

MENTEE IMPACT: A young man came to me, passionate about a career in financial services, but shut out because of a minor criminal conviction. I helped coach him and advocated for him — ultimately, he is now well into a successful career in alternative asset management. His career and personal life are both thriving; he did all the hard work, but I was pleased to help him navigate some early obstacles.

INDUSTRY TREND
“This trend has been in place for decades already, but it is still being refined and expanded: moving from a transaction-based business to one based on being trusted advisors.”