Jennifer Boyd
“Ask for opportunities. Don’t just wait for them to come to you, because sometimes they won’t.”
This is the advice Jennifer Boyd, SVP and Controller at Atlantic Capital, says she would give to her 20-year-old self.
“I’ve been lucky in my career. Working hard, head down – it got recognized. But that’s not always the case, and it’s not always enough.”
The importance of taking on challenges was a recurring theme of our conversation with Jennifer. She manages a team that records and reports the financial results of Atlantic Capital’s various departments. The team then synthesizes these figures into a coherent story that’s vital to the decision-making of the organization. It’s a complex task that requires her and her employees to perform at the highest level on a daily basis, so she’s clear about the quality she most values in a co-worker:
“Raise your hand and ask. I love it when someone volunteers or says, ‘I want to learn more about that. Give me a chance.’”
A number of years ago, when she was working for a bigger bank in the area, Jennifer jumped at the chance to work for Atlantic Capital. She enjoys the excitement and growth opportunities that come with Atlantic Capital’s status as a smaller bank that still has the financial weight to compete with larger institutions.
“I don’t know any other person who does my job at a bank this size who’s seen what I’ve seen. We’re small enough that we’re very customer-focused. Our bankers, they’re accessible. They can make decisions quickly. There’s not a lot of bureaucracy. But sometimes small banks aren’t as sophisticated, or they don’t have enough capital to do the bigger things that businesses need. We want to meet both demands, and so that means I get to see a little bit of everything.”
A UGA Terry College of Business grad from Augusta, GA, Jennifer has been in accounting since leaving school. Her experience, along with a healthy dose of hard work, has cultivated in her a depth of expertise that keeps her on top of her job. But that doesn’t mean she’s finished learning.
With the dynamic environment at Atlantic Capital, and the realities of a rapidly changing banking industry, Jennifer understands as well as anyone how crucial it is to continue growing professionally.
“We do complicated things. I’ve had to learn on the fly. I worked at a big company, and it was great, but I just saw my little piece of the world, and I didn’t see everything there was to see. But here I do. It’s my job because I’m in charge of all the accounting. I have to see everything.”
Of course, the nature of growth means challenge and risk. But Jennifer appears to handle the responsibility and unpredictability of her job well. And she’s happy to work for a bank that values personal relationships and the welfare of its employees.
What’s one thing she likes most about working at Atlantic Capital? “I get to learn without fear.”
Fun Facts About Jennifer:
If you weren’t in accounting, what career would you be pursuing?
I’d be a French teacher. I minored in French in college, so maybe I’d dip my toe back into the French thing.
Favorite restaurant in Atlanta?
I love Canoe. I got engaged at Canoe. And it’s still around!
Hobbies outside of work?
Baseball. Our family has Braves season tickets, and I grew up loving the Braves.
Music you like to listen to?
I really like the Foo Fighters. I’ve seen them at the Tabernacle, which was awesome. We were right up in the front.
Favorite TV shows?
Right now, “Poldark.” I don’t know if anybody has ever heard of it, but I got a co-worker into it, and she finished it before I did
Any pets?
Molly – she’s a golden retriever, 7 months now. She’s a mess, she eats everything. It doesn’t have to be food. She’ll literally eat the kids’ homework.
Jennifer Boyd takes on new challenges and learns from them without fear. As in any field, but especially in finance, you need someone who is detailed, determined and dedicated. Because women like Jennifer take the initiative to lead and adapts to a consistently changing industry, Atlantic Capital is able to help clients bank in the right direction.