Cameron Executive Network Mentor

Patrick Cowan

---

Patrick Cowan enjoyed his entire career in the Banking Industry. Following graduation from Gannon University, he was selected to join the Management Training Program of the Marine Bank in Erie, Pennsylvania. The majority of his career was centered in the Business Banking field, initially as a Commercial Account Representative and later as a Manager of Commercial Sales Groups. A Commercial Account Representative establishes business clients for the bank and sells them banking services, such as loans, deposit products, investments and cash management. This position requires acumen in sales and financial analysis. As an account representative, he was exposed to a wide variety of manufacturing and service businesses. As a Manager of Commercial Sales Groups, he used his leadership and management skills to direct teams of account officers to establish new relationships for the bank. This position included achieving sales goals, approving credit and maintaining credit risk. As his understanding of business credit and financial analysis skills advanced, Cowan’s career evolved toward bank wide credit risk management positions which included managing credit departments, centralized loan approval groups and loan workout and recovery. As the recession hit the economy in 2007 and business loan defaults became prolific, he was requested to manage the Commercial Workout and Recovery Department. This fascinating work required leading a group of seasoned professionals to deal with a portfolio of high high risk businesses. At any particular time during the recession, this department was managing about 200 relationships and $350 million in assets. This career opportunity required leading his team under crisis circumstances. Financial analysis, operational risk, management assessment, debt negotiations and legal risk were among skills utilized to navigate this position.

---

---