Financial Executives International presents the FEI Podcast: an audio digest focusing on the ideas and strategies in finance and accounting.
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April 21, 202644 min
Evolution of the Finance Function: Leading Strategy, AI, and Transformation
In this episode of the FEI Podcast, Tom Alexander and Scott Peck of CrossCountry Consulting discuss findings from the Evolution of the Finance Function Report by Financial Education & Research Foundation (FERF).
The conversation explores how the role of finance is expanding beyond reporting to include strategy, transformation, and enterprise leadership. It also highlights key challenges, including low confidence in AI, gaps in governance, and the need for stronger collaboration between finance and IT.
Listeners will gain practical insights on how to build transformation capability, start with focused AI use cases, and position finance teams for long-term success in a rapidly changing environment.Special Guests: Scott Peck and Tom Alexander.
April 6, 202639 min
Building Resilience and Relevance: Brenda Zamzow on Leadership and Relationships
In this special Icons edition of the FEI Podcast, Brenda Zamzow, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, discusses how financial leaders can stay relevant in a rapidly changing world.
Drawing on decades of experience across public accounting, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit leadership, Zamzow shares how to transform finance from a gatekeeping function into a strategic partner, the importance of building meaningful professional relationships, and how resilience is developed through real-world challenges.
This episode is part of FEI’s special Icons podcast series highlighting past speakers from the ICONS: Leaders in Finance virtual event. Join us on April 22, 2026 to hear from distinguished financial leaders shaping the future of finance.
Learn more about the ICONS: Leaders in Finance event virtual replay here:
https://www.financialexecutives.org/icons2026-virtualSpecial Guest: Brenda Zamzow.
March 30, 202636 min
Dana Bober on Strategy, AI, and Leading Finance Transformation
In this FEI Podcast Icons episode, Dana Bober, retired EY partner and C-suite advisor, discusses how financial leaders can bridge the gap between strategy and execution, lead through influence, and adapt to the rapid rise of AI. Drawing on decades of global experience, she explores the importance of listening, stakeholder alignment, and building future-ready finance teams.
This episode is part of FEI’s Icons series and supports the virtual replay of the ICONS: Leaders in Finance event on April 22, 2026. Learn more and register here:
https://www.financialexecutives.org/icons2026-virtualSpecial Guest: Dana Bober.
March 23, 202642 min
How 3M’s Corporate Controller Leads Finance at Hyperspeed
In this special Icons edition of the FEI Podcast, Teri Reinseth, Senior Vice President, Corporate Controller, and Chief Accounting Officer at 3M discusses how financial leaders can keep pace with rapid change by simplifying processes, strengthening cross-functional alignment, and enabling finance teams to move faster without sacrificing accuracy or compliance.
She also shares insights on preparing finance organizations for AI, building influence across the business, and developing the next generation of financial leadership.
This episode is part of FEI’s special series featuring speakers from the upcoming ICONS: Leaders in Finance event on March 25, 2026, at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel.Special Guest: Teri Reinseth.
March 16, 202645 min
Leadership Lessons from Microsoft CAO Alice Jolla
In this special edition of the FEI Podcast leading up to Financial Executives International’s ICONS: Leaders in Finance event, Heather Cole interviews Alice Jolla, Chief Accounting Officer at Microsoft and Board Director at Rockwell Automation.
Jolla reflects on her journey from counting cash for her father’s businesses as a child to leading finance at one of the world’s largest technology companies. Along the way, she shares lessons on saying yes to opportunities before you feel ready, understanding your professional value, scaling leadership through others, and building relationships that support long-term career success.
This conversation offers actionable insights for today’s financial leaders navigating complex organizations and evolving leadership responsibilities.Special Guest: Alice Jolla.
February 27, 202638 min
Catherine Hoovel: AI, Empathetic Leadership, and Designing a Purpose-Driven Next Chapter
In this special Icons edition of the FEI Podcast, Heather Cole interviews Catherine Hoovel, former SVP, Chief Accounting Officer, and Controller of McDonald’s Corporation. Hoovel shares insights from her nearly 30-year career, including how articulating long-term aspirations reshaped her leadership trajectory, why AI is redefining entry-level finance roles, and how financial leaders must rethink talent development in an automated world. She also provides a practical framework for retirement and transition planning – centered on continued growth, meaningful work, and paying it forward.
This episode is part of FEI’s special Icons series promoting the 2026 ICONS: Leaders in Finance event on March 25, 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, CA. Learn more and register here:
https://www.financialexecutives.org/icons2026Special Guest: Catherine Hoovel.
February 20, 202632 min
From Grit to Leadership: Muneera Carr on Range, Results, and the Future of Finance
In this special edition of the FEI Podcast, Heather Cole interviews Muneera Carr, Executive Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer, and Controller of Wells Fargo & Co. Carr shares her journey from minimum wage jobs to senior-level financial leadership, emphasizing performance, advocacy, and building career “range.” She also offers insights into the future of finance, the integration of accounting and finance disciplines, and how AI should be treated as an enabler supported by strong operating models.
This episode is part of a special FEI Podcast ICONS series featuring past speakers from FEI’s ICONS: Leaders in Finance event, designed to spotlight the leadership lessons and real-world strategies shaping today’s finance profession.
Learn more about FEI's 2026 ICONS: Leaders in Finance at: https://www.financialexecutives.org/icons2026Special Guest: Muneera Carr.
February 13, 202632 min
From Street Vendor to CFO: The Resilience Playbook Every Financial Leader Needs
What does it take to become an Icon in finance?
In this compelling episode, Heather Cole, Executive Coach and Business Analytics Advisor at Lodestar Solutions, interviews Judy Wright, CFO of BTM Global Consulting, LLC, FEI Board Member, and incoming 2026 President of FEI Twin Cities.
Judy’s journey is anything but conventional. Early in her career, she quit her job to test her resilience—borrowing inventory from her father and becoming a street vendor in China. Carrying merchandise by bus, negotiating for market space, and building a wholesale network from scratch, she proved to herself that she could survive—and thrive—under pressure.
Today, she brings that same entrepreneurial instinct and composure to the CFO role at a global IT consulting firm.
In this episode, Judy shares:
Why being an “Icon” means paying it forward and mentoring the next generation of financial leaders
The real ROI of networking—and why waiting until you need a job is too late
Why finance professionals must develop emotional intelligence to lead effectively
How to stay calm when everyone else is panicking (“If finance loses its cool, everyone does.”)
The foundational skills future finance professionals must build in an AI-driven world
The power of slowing down, finding purpose, and leading with intention
Judy speaks openly about mentorship, faith, service, and the importance of personal development beyond the day job. Her message is clear: careers are built not just on technical skill, but on resilience, relationships, and the courage to lead with heart.
This conversation is a must-listen for financial leaders who want to elevate their impact—professionally and personally.Special Guest: Judy Wright.
February 9, 202628 min
Episode 175: Don’t Ask, Don’t Get: Patti Humble on Career Courage, Strategy, and Rewiring What’s Next
This episode is the second in a special FEI Podcast series spotlighting past speakers from Financial Executives International’s ICONS: Leaders in Finance event – designed to build momentum toward ICONS 2026.
Heather Cole, Executive Coach and Business Analytics Advisor at Lodestar Solutions, Inc., interviews Patti Humble, former Chief Accounting Officer at UPS, Institute of Management Accountants board member, and Golden Seeds investor.
Patti reframes careers as “jungle gyms, not ladders,” sharing the pivotal moment when she walked into her leader’s office and asked for a promotion—only to learn she wasn’t even being considered. That courageous ask set off a chain reaction that ultimately led her to the C-suite.
Together, Heather and Patti explore:
Why “don’t ask, don’t get” is a leadership strategy, not a slogan
How finance leaders earn influence by shifting from black-and-white answers to business-shaping questions
What real transformation leadership requires: hearts, minds, and momentum—not just project plans
The power of building an external network to accelerate decisions and reduce friction
Patti’s next chapter as a board-ready leader and angel investor supporting women-led startups through Golden Seeds
If you’ve ever assumed that hard work alone would get you noticed, this conversation offers a better playbook—because excellence is impressive, but advocacy is what changes your zip code.
Learn more about FEI's 2026 ICONS: Leaders in Finance at: https://www.financialexecutives.org/icons2026Special Guest: Patti Humble.
February 2, 202633 min
From Center Stage to the Front Lines: CFO Leadership on a Life-Saving Mission
Nobody becomes an icon by staying comfortable.
In this special ICONS: Leaders in Finance edition of the FEI Podcast, Heather Cole – Executive Coach and Business Analytics Advisor at Lodestar Solutions – interviews Amber Kinney, Chief Financial Officer of the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Amber’s career path is anything but traditional. From a background in the performing arts to executive leadership in nonprofit organizations with life-saving missions — including Mothers Against Drunk Driving — Amber shares how conscious career choices, grit, and faith shaped her leadership journey.
In this conversation, Amber and Heather dive into:
Taking bold career leaps even when you feel “in over your head”
Reframing imposter syndrome as a growth signal
The power of networking, mentoring, and asking for help
Leading with purpose in nonprofit and healthcare organizations
Silencing negative voices and protecting your confidence
The importance of balance, self-care, and resilience in high-impact roles
This episode kicks off a series spotlighting past speakers from Financial Executives International’s ICONS: Leaders in Finance event, designed to inspire finance leaders and build momentum toward ICONS 2026, taking place on March 25, 2026 at the Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel, CA and virtually on April 22, 2026.
Learn more at www.financialexecutives.org/icons2026.Special Guest: Amber Kinney.
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