Growing up, Rayna Lesser Hannaway saw her mother as her hero. When her mother graduated as one of three women in her law school class in 1967, “that really showed me that I could be different,” Lesser Hannaway said.
Now head of team, portfolio manager and analyst at Polen Capital, Lesser Hannaway said she aims “to help women at every turn.” That includes her work on Women Inspiring Success and Engagement or WISE — Polen Capital’s employee resource group that she co-founded..
Lesser Hannaway said that leading that initiative “was really exciting to me in terms of really bringing together the women inside of Polen Capital, but then also creating this united front that put us in a great position to attract other women to Polen Capital, and to also be a role model inside of the asset management business for women.”
Another initiative that Lesser Hannaway established is the Women's Leadership Council, which helps “create the right relationships” for women in the firm and provides them with more networking opportunities, she said.
Lesser Hannaway thinks the industry needs more people “to step up to the plate” and bring women along with them, which includes serving as their champion and sponsor, she said.
“Women need mentors and sponsors” as well as role models that show them that it’s possible for women to succeed in the industry, she said, and she aims to serve as a role model for others.
Polen Capital manages $65 billion in assets.