RUTH ANN CLARK

When Ruth Ann Clark drives to or from the six JPMorgan Chase offices she oversees, she leaves her radio turned off. These commutes create a white space for Clark to sort through and analyze data to identify potential solutions — in short: great thinking time. “That is one of the things I try to prioritize.”

Being a strategic thinker is a skill Clark has tried to sharpen over the course of her career. Alongside her team, she creates a road map to support the aerospace, defense and government services industry in various ways. She particularly enjoys the good discussions and problem-solving, as well as the customer-facing aspects of her role. “A gratifying day to me,” she says, “is a couple of great aha! moments.” 

One of Clark’s mantras is that “anybody can be a leader,” so mentoring the next generation of leaders has long been one of her priorities. She recalls trying to make sense of how corporate America worked when she began her career — something she now tries to demystify for others. “I thought about how much easier it would be if someone told me, ‘This is what success looks like.’”

She took a similar approach at home, where she spent breakfasts delivering what her grown kids refer to as “life lesson lectures.” And even though all three of her kids now live out of state, Clark and her husband have strived to maintain closeness in their family. “I’m really proud of that.”

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