Kristen Wannenmacher Bright on Navigating Organizational Changes

Biz 417: How are BKD and DHG navigating relationships and differences during this merger?
Kristen Wannenmacher Bright: FORVIS is short for “Forward Vision” and we plan to live up to that name. The good thing is both BKD and DHG have the same mission and our core values line up well. Now we are in the process of fine-tuning the differences in our processes and policies. We’ve given ourselves one to two years to explore each company’s approaches, and ultimately, we will find joint best practices to serve our clients.

Biz 417: Why is internal networking important?
K.W.B.: Sometimes we can be focused solely on external networking, but I think it’s even more important to network internally, especially since we just doubled in size. I have always enjoyed my career because of who I work with. Now I have the chance to meet new people, share ideas and learn possibly more efficient approaches.

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Biz 417: What advice would you give women who are experiencing a merger or company infrastructure changes?
K.W.B.: Don’t get lost as the team grows in size. Stay true to yourself and be proactive about where you want to fit. Often, women sit back and wait for others to put them where they think they will work best rather than being their own advocate. Gather information and determine where you see yourself in the company. Don’t default to where others want to place you. Then, remember to bring other women along with you and find ways to help them advance in their career paths.