US Tibetan among most powerful woman in banking list

By Tenzin Dharpo

DHARAMSHALA, July 31: A Tibetan woman in the US born to immigrant parents from India, has made it to a prestigious list of most powerful woman in banking, drawing accolades and appreciation from her peers as well as from her community members.

Tenzin Dasal Alexander, an executive at Columbus Ohio’s bank holding company Huntington Bancshares is one of the 15 execs highlighted by the ‘Most Powerful Women in Banking: Next list’ of 2020.

Tenzin’s heads a team of nine at Huntington, that is responsible for devising a system tracking social media data for the $114 billion worth company that ensures brand consistency across platforms, incorporates an influencer marketing program and reduces response time for customer concerns made on social media, essentially in her own words, give social media “a seat at the table” in the banking world.

“Social media is a good data point to use when trying to gauge sentiment or impact and get a good read on external trends. It’s a channel that can be easily measured and where people choose to share their honest view and opinions,” she told American Banker.

As personal journeys go, Dasal’s is a story of perseverance and commitment to helping the minority and the downtrodden. Beginning her career at a call center aged just 17 to being a foremost woman in banking today is representative of a classic American dream story.

However, Tenzin has also been engaged in giving back; she and her husband Jon Alexander bought properties, renovated them and rented them at or below the fair market rents set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Since 2018, the husband-wife duo in collaboration with local partners facilitated transitional housing for men who have been homeless due to mental illness and single mothers ages 18 to 24. 

“It’s been really fulfilling to take something that started as a way to diversify our income and create something we feel really good about,” Tenzin said.

“A forward-thinking leader, Tenzin always has a vision for growth and improvement. Tenzin exemplifies smart, tenacious leadership, but also the character, purpose and care representative of an ideal C-suite executive. I expect we’ll see her there someday,” her nominating executive andChief marketing and communications officer Julie Tutkovics told American Banker.