‘You need a competitive spirit’

After joining BMO, Denver’s Patrick Becker found his calling and his ambition — to lead a team as a bank manager. He achieved that dream in 2024 at the age of 26, and was named BMO Coach of the Year (Mountain Region) in 2025. Here’s how he did it. 

Do you have a background in banking? 

I’ve worked in banking since my junior year of college. I started out as a teller in my hometown of Pittsburgh; then, when I moved to Denver in 2022, I joined Bank of the West, which was later acquired by BMO.  

In under two years, I progressed from what we called a “universal banker” role to relationship banker to assistant bank manager. As an ABM, I was tasked with building a team from scratch, and that’s where I fell in love with coaching aspect of banking – helping people be the best they can be.  

What led you to become a bank manager? 

After we became part of BMO, I was moved to a sales and service manager role, which had a team of direct reports. I was responsible for performance management, and it became a real passion of mine. Of the three people on my team who were new to banking, two became top performers who were awarded a spot on BMO’s performance incentive trip.  

After that experience, I was ready to try leading an entire financial center team. I applied for several bank manager positions, but wasn’t selected. However, BMO then put me through our Leadership Pathways program, which led to my first manager role. 

How did the Pathways program support your career development? 

The program is extremely well run. It helped me develop a deeper understanding of what a bank manager does, and to develop the core skills I needed to be a success. By the end of the program, I had built a good transition plan, which enabled me to step into a bank manager role and hit the ground running. 

What advice would you have for other aspiring BMO bank managers? 

I would tell them to find a good mentor. After I joined the Pathways program, I contacted one of the leaders I had interviewed with, explained what I was looking for, and asked for her recommendations. She connected me with a high-performing bank manager in St. Louis who has become an amazing resource for me.  

Now I’m paying it forward as a mentor for colleagues in the Pathways program. My most recent mentee has become a bank manager in south Denver and is absolutely killing it.  

Having worked in other financial institutions, how do you view the development opportunities offered at BMO? 

BMO’s approach is definitely more robust and well structured. The Pathways program, for example, is eight weeks long and really digs into every part of the job – from operations to prospecting to customer conversations. It’s self-paced, so you can take your time and really absorb the learning. It definitely made me a better leader and a better coach. 

In your experience, what else sets BMO apart? 

I think we’re much more focused on our clients' needs versus other financial institutions, which are sales driven. We tell our clients our aim is to help them make real financial progress, and I think we deliver on that.  

We also take more of a team approach. Let me give you an example: In another bank, they may give you a target of opening a certain number of accounts, then tell you to start making client calls. At BMO, they’ll say, let’s review what’s best for our clients’ individual needs, then we’ll help you make a call that delivers the best outcome.  

What’s one quality you need to be a great BMO bank manager?  

In this job you need a competitive spirit. We’re all part of a team, and you’ve got to be driven to help your team win.  

There’s no disconnect between being client-focused and competitive. BMO delivers an exceptional experience – so when we win, so do our clients.