Creating opportunity for next-gen leaders

Raymond James supports its associates and advisors through inclusion networks that serve to connect, uplift and inspire the dedicated people who help develop and maintain our people-first culture. Among those networks is Emerge, creating opportunities for future firm leaders to discover their strengths, and empowering them to carve out their own paths to success.

The pillars of Emerge

The Emerge network operates with three clear objectives designed to champion professional development, encourage community engagement and expand the professional networks of emerging leaders:

• Development – including opportunities to interact with leaders, like the executive lunch series
• Networking – with events like the monthly networking night in St. Pete and Memphis
• Community service – as an extension of our firm’s core values

A gateway to the future

Raymond James is proud to be a place where good people grow. Facilitating that growth is a top priority for leaders of our firm. Emerge events give members the unique opportunity to sit down and talk with these leaders, allowing them to ask questions and learn from those who have been in their shoes before.

“Emerge isn’t just for those fresh out of college. It’s for everyone looking to grow their career, regardless of where you are now,” said National Co-Chair for Emerge and Practice Management Consultant Reagan Fricke. “It’s not about where you started, it’s about where you’re going and how Raymond James can help you get there.”

Creating the next generation of leaders from within starts with mentoring those who show great potential and helping them identify the ways in which they’ll shape the future of our firm. The Emerge network helps participants unlock their full potential, no matter their background or where their career started.

Building an amazing career

One of the core principles that Emerge encourages members to embrace is the idea that the perfect career path isn’t always linear. It’s founded on the idea that finding the best parts of who you are and how those strengths can make a positive impact through your work can lead you in directions you never expected. That’s why Emerge helps people discover new opportunities that empower them to follow their calling.

Exposure to peers, leaders and departments outside of one’s current role gives them a glimpse into the totality of Raymond James as a workplace and as a family. Networking opportunities allow associates to share their experiences with others and learn about what they do, opening doors to conversations that can inspire new career development pathways they may not have otherwise considered.

“Raymond James stands out by tailoring roles to the unique skillsets of high-potential employees, rather than forcing them into predefined positions. This approach allows both our people and our firm to thrive,” points out Emma Boston, executive sponsor for Emerge and VP of strategic operations.

Emerge teaches that where you started doesn’t impose limits on where you’ll go. Whether someone is on track to progress to the upper echelon of the role they started in or switch gears entirely to one they never imagined doing, the most important thing is that they make the most of their unique skillset, and Raymond James has their back every step of the way.

“As associates develop and refine their talents at Raymond James, we will support them every step of the way,” Boston adds, “ensuring they are leveraging their strengths and finding fulfillment in their work. We are focused on aligning what is best for our associates as individuals and for the firm in the long run.”

Getting involved

For Raymond James Associates, participation with Emerge is what they make of it. They’re free to explore as many or as few events as it takes to meet their individual needs and goals while being encouraged to engage as much as possible to take full advantage of what the network has to offer. Emerge is designed to serve as an extension of one’s career, so time commitment is always flexible. “If you’re in a busy season, Emerge can take the back seat,” says Reagan. “You can always get more involved when you have the time for it.”

Learn more about Emerge and how Raymond James is investing in futures of those who call our firm home.