Heather Seda, MBA

As COO, my role is to lead and enhance operations and client experience. Operations are essentially the heart of a company and need to be effective and efficient for everything else to function correctly. I have 22 years of experience in operations and for the last seven years I’ve been immersed in the financial and insurance industry. At MFG, I get to apply all my knowledge and expertise to develop systems and implement processes that allow our team to be more efficient and productive.

I joined MFG for three reasons. My colleagues are experienced and committed to our clients. I enjoy the professional leadership team and the culture they’ve developed, which uses a team approach and strives to continuously improve. I was also attracted by the growth trajectory of the firm. I bring a lot of experience to strategic partnering and know what it takes to grow sustainably, and I like the idea of helping MFG achieve its growth potential.

Education
B.A. in Organizational Leadership, Fort Hays State University
M.B.A., University of Maryland

My biggest tip for clients
Don’t be biased against a younger advisor – if they’re on our team they are highly trained and know what they’re doing. Sometimes people equate age with experience, but a young professional has the benefit of knowing the latest technology, techniques, and procedures, which can be an advantage.

Favorite quote
"Don’t let the negatives of life control you. Rise above them. Use them as your steppingstones to go higher than you ever dreamed possible. Every failure, obstacle or hardship is an opportunity in disguise." ~Mary Kay Ash

How I spend time outside of work
My fiancé and I have two sports cars, and we spend a lot of time driving around. One of the cars is a convertible, which is fun to take out for a drive when the weather is nice.

Biggest accomplishment
My biggest personal accomplishment has been raising my children, Katy and Josh, and professionally, earning my Master’s degree.

Little known fact about me
There are two. When I started in college, I was pre-med, but I couldn’t make that work with young children. The other is that I used to weigh 275 pounds. Through hard work and dedication, I lost 150 pounds.

My Favorite Things
Meal: Ribeye
Beverage: A nice cabernet
Pet: My childhood German Shepard, Boss
Sport: I consider shopping a sport - sometimes involving contact.
Sports team: Team Heather. When it comes to finding a deal, no one can beat me.