What I’ve Learned in My Twenty Years in Data & Analytics and the Air Force Reserve

Name: Vince
Pronouns: he/him
Title: Senior Manager Data Management
Location: Riverwoods, IL

My personal brand

For me, my brand is about gratitude, value, and family! As a leader in the Air Force and a people leader here at Discover, there isn’t a day that I am not grateful for the people I work with and the people I work for. John Maxwell says it best, “What we appreciate appreciates, and what we depreciate depreciates.” Values—everyone brings different values to work and value to our lives. I like to bring out those values in others, so they are their best selves at work and at home. Family is everything to me, I am married (Vanessa) with two boys (Matthew and Zane), and they are the reasons I come to work. I make the most of my time with them at home.

Purpose and passion

My family gives me purpose! I grew up with an abundance of family and a culture deeply rooted in respect. However, many opportunities such as education, work, travel, weren’t options for some of us. My family currently lives in Texas where there are many opportunities for my children to be around different people and cultures, attend different schools, work in different industries, and explore the world through their eyes. My dad always wanted me to have more opportunities than he did, and I want my boys to have more opportunities than I. A personal moment with a huge impact on my life was when my sons were born. My wife and I had many struggles and challenges with starting our family, and it is a blessing to see them grow every day.

I am currently the Senior Manager in Enterprise Data Management where I lead Metadata Management, Critical Data Elements, and Data Lineage. Growing up, I always wanted to be in Aviation. I have been in the Air Force Reserve for 20 years now, and throughout that time have focused on data, analytics, and reporting. In my current job, I work in DNA [Data and Analytics]. This has been my consistent passion for my entire professional career. Prior to Discover, I worked at other financial institutions, but this role brings many new opportunities in the DNA space. In my professional life, the biggest moments with impact are seeing people I’ve trained and mentored succeed in their careers and grow.