Helping Himself While Helping Others:

THE WILLIAM FERNANDEZ STORY

By Mitch Abramson

 When William Fernandez came to the United States from his native Colombia in 1999, he could have used a little financial advice.

 “I didn’t have a lot,” he said.  “I came over here to look for a better life.  In Colombia, the economy was bad.  I didn’t have any family except for my sister.  I came here to pursue the American dream like so many others.  My big problem though was that I didn’t know any English.”

 Two years later in an improbable turn of events, Fernandez would be giving people suggestions on their own fiscal situations as an assistant manager of Citibank, working with the Mexican, Ecuadorian and Columbian consulates.  He helps recent immigrants reach their financial goals by selling them insurance and helping them open accounts.  He also offers advice on loans.  “Anything that people might have questions about that relate to banking, I can help them.”

 Fernandez is unlike many immigrants who never revive their professional careers once they’ve entered into the country, leaving behind stints as teachers and accountants for lesser jobs.  Fernandez, who worked at a local Colombian bank for seven years and received his bachelor’s from a local university, has defied the odds and duplicated the success he had while living in his country.

Although it took him four years to accomplish some of his goals, the circuitous route he traveled is probably familiar to a lot of successful immigrants who arrived in this country with little money or idea of what to do next.

In Fernandez’s case, he was visiting the United States on a vacation and decided on the spur of the moment that he was going to stay.  “I didn’t want to leave,” said Fernandez, who is 35 and lives in Astoria.  “I wanted to stay and achieve the American dream.”  Fernandez stayed with a cousin and the first thing he did was enroll in a language school.  He didn’t speak a word of English and was worried that he might not be able to find a job as a result.

He eventually found work as a lifeguard at a nearby gym and spent two years there, all the while plotting how he could get back into the banking business.  Fernandez, a mild-mannered and polite sort, never gave up hope.  “My greatest attribute is my persistence,” he said.  “I didn’t give up.  When I want something I go after it.  I can’t stop.  Somebody in my position has to have this attitude.”

Noticing a Citibank in Jackson Heights located in a predominantly Spanish neighborhood, Fernandez walked in without an appointment and asked to speak with the branch manager.  He explained to the surprised gentleman that he had experience in the banking business and asked if the man could offer him a job.  The manager didn’t say yes or no but told him that he would be in touch with him.  Two months later Fernandez called the man and was told he could start that Monday.

“It was the best experience of my life,” Fernandez said.  “My English had gotten a little better so I didn’t have any trouble speaking to him.  But I had a lot of work to do.  I had to relearn how this business works.  I started restudying everything.  I had to get certifications so that I could get my insurance license.  My learning never stops.  I know more about banking now than when I was in Colombia.

Now Fernandez wants to get a master’s degree in business so he can one day move up from assistant manager to manager.  He knows that the key to getting promoted is enrolling in a graduate program.  “The more I learn the better,” he said.

Fernandez’s other dream is to reunite with his sister who remains in Colombia working in the family business.  “I want to be able to support her and bring her over here,” he said.

Fernandez knows how fortunate he is to have gotten his job at Citibank and he wants to help others.  “If I could give anybody advice it’s that they should be patient,” he said.   “Try to be the best that you can be in whatever you’re trying to do.  The only way you can succeed is by studying hard and having an open mind.  Then you can accomplish anything.”