Podcast | 04.28.26
BISA Portfolio Podcast — The Impact and Vision Committee: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
by: BISA Staff
In this episode of the BISA Portfolio Podcast, guest host Jim Nickens of Swann Financial Group talks with Pamela Dawson of U.S. Bank and Logan Hickman of Nationwide about how BISA’s newly renamed Impact & Vision Committee is advancing belonging across the financial services industry. Recorded live at the BISA Annual Conference in Tampa, their conversation covers the committee’s evolution, the launch of the Rising Star program and why this work is critical to serving today’s — and tomorrow’s — clients.
Tune in to learn:
- How the shift to Impact & Vision better reflects the committee’s mission while keeping its core focus intact.
- How the Rising Star program and mentorship are creating real career opportunities for emerging leaders.
- Why representation and inclusion are business‑critical for reaching diverse communities that need financial advice.
- What Pamela and Logan hope the industry will look like in five years — and practical ways to get involved through BISA and within your own firm.
Listen to the episode below or listen and subscribe on Spotify or Apple.
Transcript
Jim Nickens
Hello everyone, and welcome to this episode of The BISA Portfolio Podcast, recorded live at the Annual Conference in Tampa. I'm Jim Nickens, guest host for this episode discussing the concept of impact and vision in financial institutions, both today and throughout recent history. A little about me: I've spent the last 30 years working in the bank and insurance industry, as well as annuity distribution, leading programs at Fifth Third, Ley Investments and most recently at Insource. Today, I run Swann Financial Group, a boutique consulting firm focused on helping financial institutions and carriers build smarter, more effective distribution programs. I've been a member of BISA for a long time, which includes serving as past chair of what was then called the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, and now is the Impact and Vision Committee, which makes this conversation a particularly meaningful one for me. I'm joined today by two members of the newly named BISA Impact and Vision Committee, Pamela Dawson from US Bank and Logan Hickman from Nationwide. Thank you for joining me. Before we get started, I want to encourage you to please subscribe to this podcast on the app you're listening to now, and if you enjoy, please share it with your network. Pamela and Logan, can you introduce yourselves?
Pamela Dawson
Absolutely. Jim, thanks for having me today. I'm Pamela Dawson. I work for the asset management group within US Bank. This will be my eighth year in this role, but I've been in the industry kind of the same amount of time as you Jim, over 30 years. I've been part of the BISA for the past 20 years, and I recently was part of the DE&I Committee, now the Impact and Vision Committee, but I'm coming off of that this year, because I've served my six years. I am a past recipient of the Circle of Excellence Award that is honored by the BISA. So I'm very proud of that. So with that, Logan, I'll turn it over to you.
Logan Hickman
All right. Thank you so much, Pamela. I'm Logan Hickman. I work at Nationwide in annuity distribution. I lead a team of wholesalers who distribute fee-based annuities. This is my fourth BISA Annual Conference, so I'm still kind of the newbie here, but I've been in the industry 10 years, and I've worked for Nationwide that entire time. I've gotten so much out of my time at BISA, and I'm not slowing down anytime soon.
Jim Nickens
Thank you both for joining me. Our topic today is to take a broad look at BISA member efforts to impact and influence the industry to be more diverse, equitable and inclusive. Pamela, you've been around the BISA Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committee since its formation, as you said. And Logan, you've joined us more recently, first as a BISA Rising Star and now as a member of the committee. Recently, the group has become the Impact & Vision Committee with goals of empowering, educating and engaging members. Let's start there. Impact and vision are big ideas. What led to this committee adopting those words, and how do they shape the way this group approaches the work today?
Pamela Dawson
That's a great question. Jim, and you know, the committee actually took a lot of time and thought in terms of what are some impactful words that really describe what we do as an organization, and there actually was a subgroup that brought these to life, and then we all voted on it, and it became the Impact and Vision, the IV Committee, so it's really what we do, right? It's what we do. We work to impact organizations to have a vision on creating diversity and inclusion within their organizations. And I think that those two words really describe even more importantly than the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
Logan Hickman
Thanks, Pamela. So it was a really, actually, fun process coming up with the new name. I remember we were in our August committee meeting in Washington, D.C., and we're going back and forth: should it be impact, or should it be vision? Should it be impact, or should it be vision? Then finally, somebody said, 'Well, let's just call it the impact and vision committee.' And it was a unanimous 'yes' to that decision. But I think the really important thing to remember, even though we changed the name, the work stays the same, right? We want to figure out new ways to bring not only more diverse individuals into the industry, but then also find more ways to bring diverse clients into wealth management as well. And so that is the work that this committee has always done. That is the work this committee is continuing to carry forward, even though we may be called something slightly different today.
Jim Nickens
Well, thank you both, and as someone who also attended those meetings, I can tell everyone that it was a very robust conversation on how we could rebrand and still stay true to our mission, and I want to thank you both for your efforts in helping the renaming of the Impact and Vision Committee. Pamela, you've seen this group evolve over time. Can you take us back to how it began, and shared one or two moments where you really saw the committee make a tangible difference?
Pamela Dawson
Yeah, absolutely. Jim, you know, it's been such an amazing ride over the past how many years? You know, it's six years for me, but when I think back in terms of what this committee has done that's made a real, tangible difference in the industry was the creation of the Rising Star program, and I think it was Dorothy Mitchell who started that years ago. She was part of this committee, also from US Bank, and now Logan, who is chair of that committee. It just really provides tremendous opportunity for up and coming leaders within the industry to gain experience and also have a mentor. And actually, I've been a mentor for the past six years as well, and it's been just such a rewarding experience to help younger folks who are new to the industry really grow, and I've seen through my tenure and my mentorship, some of my mentees now have really grown and taken on new responsibilities within their company. So I think that that's a huge win for the Impact and Vision Committee as a whole.
Jim Nickens
Thank you for sharing. Logan, as someone newer to the group. What has stood out to you so far, and how do you hope this committee can evolve to stay relevant for the next generation of professionals?
Logan Hickman
Such a good question. What stood out to me most so far is just, in the four years of attending this conference, how many people that I have met who are outside of my organization. When I first got involved, I wasn't sure what the connections would be that I would make, or how long they would last. But you really, truly meet so many people by being involved with BISA, and they're not just connections. Most of them, not all of them, are actual friendships. And so I can't tell you how many, just like long, lasting relationships I've met through BISA. In terms of how this committee can evolve to stay relevant for the next generation of professionals, we've got to continue to find ways to elevate and to provide visibility and a platform for younger people in the industry. We were just talking in our Impact and Vision workshop we did right before recording this podcast that folks of a younger generation who have entered the workforce, either during COVID or after COVID, are struggling to find ways to gain visibility, not only within their firm, but within the industry as well. And something that BISA has always done and continues to do is to provide a platform, especially for up and comers in our industry. And if we can keep doing that, then I think the future will hopefully be in a pretty good place.
Jim Nickens
Thank you, Logan, for sharing your experience and insight. For listeners who may not be involved in committee work, why should conversations about impact, inclusion and belonging matter in their day to day professional lives? Logan, let's start with you.
Logan Hickman
Yeah, absolutely, another great question. I just think we all stand to benefit when we reach out to different communities, especially folks that don't look like us, and especially folks who aren't in the majority group within our industry, right? I mean, there are so many folks out there who need financial planning, who need financial advice, and you know, most of them don't look like the folks who are working in financial services today. And in order to bring those folks into financial planning, into wealth management, we've got to have advisors and we've got to have distributors that look like the communities that we aim to serve. So it's critical work. It's important to the top line for organizations, but more importantly, it's important for our communities that that we aim to serve well.
Pamela Dawson
Being a woman in this industry for over 30 years, I wish that this existed way back when, because I was one of very few women in the industry, and if I was in a room, I would be the only woman in the room. And so I think this work is still very important to people who, like me and like others, just to make sure, especially from the standpoint of belonging and inclusion. Because again, whether you are a woman, whether you are an African American, whether you are an immigrant, whoever you are, feeling as though you're part of and included in the conversations that happen and having to make an impact in your organization, I think is so very important.
Jim Nickens
That's great. Thank you. The language around this work continues to evolve. The core intent does not. What do you think has stayed constant over time and even as priorities and terminology changes? And let's go back to you Pamela.
Pamela Dawson
I think that the new name of the organization really speaks to to answer that question, Jim. It's the fact that we're making an impact in the financial services industry. We are making sure that our our organizations understand the importance of recruiting and retaining diverse talent within their organizations and making sure that we all feel that we're included in this big, happy family that we're in. So there you have it.
Logan Hickman
Yeah, I would say, from my perspective, the name has changed, but the people haven't, right. People's thoughts, attitudes, feelings, who are committed to this work before the name change, my hope and what my thought is, is that their attitudes, beliefs and feelings are going to stay the same even after the name change. I think everybody gets it by now. This work is really important to our industry, not only from bringing in people from diverse backgrounds, but if you look across generations as well, we have so many people in financial services, who are, you know, in the Gen X or baby boomer generation, and retirement is just on the horizon, but we don't have enough people from the younger generation in this industry. And so I think people get that. And even though we're calling this work something different in 2026, I think most folks, they know the importance of the work, and they're committed to carrying it forward.
Jim Nickens
Well, that's great, and thank you. And I would just say that came across loud and clear from the workshop, the IV workshop and just did as a group, and I think we are starting to see those individuals and the conversations that we're having. As long as we focus on intent, we can continue to grow. What would you say to someone listening who's curious about this work, but unsure where or how to get involved, whether through BISA or within their own organization?
Logan Hickman
Yeah, absolutely, I would say, get connected with whoever in your organization is already connected with BISA. One of the things that everyone involved in BISA does really, really well is building connection and making sure that they give introductions and opportunity to folks who have any type of interest in the organization at all. You think about it, we're all in the business of relationship building, and people want to help you build relationships and to meet people. So if you aren't familiar with BISA, find out who at your firm who is and who's involved, and just ask for an introduction, and I promise you, you'll get it and then some.
Pamela Dawson
I think you said it perfectly, Logan, that if you're not involved with the BISA, again, to Logan's point, just find someone in your organization who is. I can tell you being part of this over the past 20 years, there's so many connections that you make. And professionally, I don't think I'd be where I am today if I hadn't been part of the BISA, because it's all about connections. It's all about relationships. It's about people knowing who you are, what you do, the talent you bring to the table. So I think you know, this organization is a great organization to be part of, and I highly encourage you to reach out to any one of us, certainly, or anyone in your organization that you're aware is part of this.
Jim Nickens
Thank you. And I second that. One more question, and I'm really excited to get your take on this one. If we recorded the same conversation five years from now, what would you hope listeners could say had changed because of this committee's work?
Pamela Dawson
Well, that's a big question, Jim, but in five years, hopefully I will not be in this industry any longer, because I am one of those baby boomers. But in five years, I think that looking at landscape of the financial services industry today versus where it hopefully will be in five years, it will look very different. We will have a lot more younger folks who are in the industry. We'll have a lot more women in the industry. We'll have a lot more diversity within the industry, and that would be a huge imprint that this organization, this particular Impact and Vision Committee, has made on the industry as a whole.
Logan Hickman
So I wish I could say the same. I wish I was able to retire in five years or less, but unfortunately, I've got a few more years to go, but that does lead me to share that in five years from now, I'm excited that I will still be here, because I'm sure the industry will look a whole lot better than five years ago, and that really excites me. And just having the vision of what the industry could look like is really exciting, and it's actually really invigorating. So I hope that in five years, I still get to come to this fabulous event, and we'll have even more women, we'll have even more immigrants, even more brown people, even more LGBTQ people, even more young folks, even more older folks, folks who want to get into wealth management and financial services as a second career. So it's just really exciting to think about the future of our industry, where it's going, and that we get to play a part in driving that direction and driving that change.
Jim Nickens
Thank you both again for this insightful conversation. I'm looking forward to see where the impact and vision committee will head over the coming years. Again, I encourage everyone to listen to and subscribe to the portfolio podcast on your favorite app. Until next time, I'm Jim Nickens.