BMO's Cheryle Wittert of Lombard honored for mentorship

LOMBARD – Cheryle Wittert of Lombard has been recognized by the Chicago chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners as this year’s recipient of the Corporate Woman of Achievement Award. She is regional president of Suburban Illinois, BMO Wealth Management (U.S.).

NAWBO Chicago’s annual Celebration of Achievement event recognizes the efforts of its members, sponsors and thought leaders who support the entrepreneurial community through advocacy and mentorship. Honorees are chosen for overcoming obstacles to climb to extraordinary heights in their companies while bringing other women along with them.

“Throughout her career, Cheryle has been a staunch supporter and champion of women in our city and at BMO,” Jen Earle, national president of NAWBO, said in the news release. “She understands the challenges women can face trying to balance their family life with their work life, and she works tirelessly to open doors for other women. We have selected Cheryle for this year’s award as she embodies our mission to strengthen connections, build resources and support, and pave the way for other women to establish their own spheres of power.”

Wittert has been in the banking industry for 38 years, all of them with BMO Financial Group. In her current role, she oversees the strategic development and delivery of coaching and sales execution and ensures the delivery of BMO Private Bank’s wealth management platform to individuals with a high net worth, family-owned businesses, endowments and foundations throughout suburban Illinois. A proven leader, she most recently served as managing director of Diversified Industries for Commercial Middle Market with BMO Harris Bank. In the role, she led and coached teams to deliver advisory services to expand the commercial client base and enhance existing customer relationships.

Wittert earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from DePaul University. An active member in her community, she serves on the Cotter Consulting Advisory Board and on the Board of Directors for the YWCA of Chicago. She also has been a long-standing adviser and mentor at Elmhurst College Center for Professional Excellence. She continuously advocates for gender equality and attracting the best talent to the bank.

“I’m honored to be included on this list of talented and inspiring women,” Wittert said in the release. “It’s important to support others whenever possible, and it brings me joy when I see the people I’ve worked with move into leadership roles. I will keep on working with organizations such as NAWBO so that many more women can benefit by having a seat at the table.”

“Cheryle’s passion for mentoring and supporting women is obvious to all who work with her,” Darrel Hackett, president of BMO Wealth Management (U.S.), said in the release. “The National Association of Women Business Owners couldn’t have chosen a more worthy recipient for this year’s award. BMO is very fortunate to have an individual like Cheryle in our organization who is so generous in sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with others.”