Early in Theresa S. Wilson’s career, as one of only a few Black women computer programmers at Wachovia (now Wells Fargo), she was told that she would head a project after gaining a year’s worth of experience. But 12 months later, her manager reneged on his promise. Instead of calling it quits in an industry where she was serving as a role model to change corporate culture, Wilson was more determined than ever to prove him wrong.
Slowly, she built his trust and gained respect from the other managers in her nearly 34-year career. Today, as Wells Fargo’s CIO of operations and recently promoted executive vice president of technology services, Wilson leads a 700 person team and is responsible for overseeing technology strategies, development and implementation.
“I take on challenges and learn things very quickly,” she explains. This is a tactic that has led her to be one of the highest-ranking Black executive women in technology. Wilson also suggests observing “white male counterparts to see how they get things done,” noting that doing so has taught her how casual conversations help to build trust at work.
