Title: Vice President in the Public Finance Group
Firm: Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
Age: 39
Nicole Riggs made her way into public finance after discovering a passion for helping to build communities.
Nicole, 39, is a vice president in the Public Finance Group at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), responsible for managing relationships with government and not-for-profit clients and prospects. Her firm credits her with having been "instrumental in developing the team's public pension plan strategy, and also with helping to lead the transition since U.S. Bank announced its agreement to acquire MUFG Union Bank's core banking franchise."
"I'm a total infrastructure nerd," Nicole said. "I enjoy the content of my job."
Nicole said she first began to get interested in public finance after working for Big Brothers, Big Sisters a non-profit organization dedicated to matching youth with mentors. She then earned a dual master's degree in Public Affairs and Urban/Regional Planning with a domestic policy focus.
Prior to joining MUFG, she worked in the aviation department of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. As the manager of aviation capital financial services, she oversaw the financial aspects of the aviation department's multi-billion-dollar capital plan and passenger facility charge (PFC) program and managed the annual strategic business planning process.
"That was a great, formative experience," she said.
But Nicole said the thing she still enjoys most remains the thing that first helped draw her into public finance: the opportunity to provide mentorship, particularly to young women.
"Nicole enthusiastically shares her public finance expertise as a conference speaker, university guest lecturer, and educational workshop panelist," MUFG said in nominating her.
"What gets me really excited is the recruiting and the mentoring aspect," Nicole said. "My favorite part is mentoring younger women."
