Dave Kucera

Dave Kucera has more than 25 years of investment and commercial banking experience advising owners and managers of financial assets, assisting in financing, raising capital and delivering customized solutions to clients in many countries. As head of Capital One’s Financial Institutions Group, Dave leads a team that provides advisory services, recourse and non-recourse financing, capital markets solutions, investment banking, term ABS/CLO financing, and other services to financial institutions throughout North America. Before joining Capital One, he led the U.S. Securitization business for BMO Capital Markets, which he co-founded and helped build into a leading North American provider – providing more than $75 billion in funding for the lender finance markets.

As Capital One’s market president for Chicago, Dave leads the local team in coordinating and encouraging volunteerism amongst the more than 1,000 Capital One associates in the region. He’s an active board member of several industry organizations and community groups including HFS Chicago Scholars, a group that helps economically disadvantaged Chicago high school students flourish in and out of the classroom by providing educational enrichment through lifelong mentoring, college readiness and academic excellence programs, as well as providing financial assistance to attend top Chicago-area schools.

What advice would you offer to someone just starting out who wants to be a difference maker in their organization?

One of the first things to do is to think about what you are passionate about.  Following your passion often leads to higher interest, engagement and follow-through. Many organizations provide their associates opportunities to be a difference maker in their company through mentoring, learning groups, and community involvement. I would suggest that if someone has an interest, and does not find an opportunity to become involved, they should “raise their hand.”  At Capital One, investing in a “whole person” is highly encouraged.  We welcome associates who are interested not only in their day job, but also want to get involved in our efforts to add value to the organization and their community.

Tell us more about your involvement in HFS Chicago Scholars. How did you become involved? Why is their mission important to you?

One of my interests has always been about the value and importance of education, at all ages.  I am also excited about the many ways that are developing to improve education.  Technology is changing every industry, including education, and traditional forms of learning need to be questioned and evaluated to help us all evolve and thrive in the world we are living in. 

One of the reasons I first got involved with HFS is that their organization provides scholarships for economically disadvantaged high school students who otherwise would not be able to attend the school of their choice, and requires that scholars receive mentorship services throughout high school.  HFS scholars sign contracts that require them to maintain a certain GPA, as well as volunteer a certain number of hours in their communities.  That “two-way” contract is unique, and helps create a virtuous cycle of support and success.

What advice would you give to someone who says they wish they could be more involved in “giving back” but just can’t find the time? 

As I have gotten older, one of the things I increasingly value is my time. As we progress in our lives, assume additional responsibilities personally and professionally, start families, and get involved in our communities, it can become harder to balance the various aspects of our lives.  A respected executive at one of my former employers found that over time, he had an increasingly hard time balancing his life, so he started combining his responsibilities in many ways. I try to do that with my own life, and have found it to be an effective time- management philosophy.

What do you enjoy most about your role as head of Capital One’s Financial Institutions Group and as Capital One’s Chicago Market President? 

One of the most exciting things about my roles is that they are complementary.  They allow me a unique opportunity to incorporate my personal and professional goals in a relatively seamless manner.  In our FIG business, with the help of many talented and passionate partners, we work to solve the needs of our clients. As president of our Chicago market efforts, I work with a great team that cultivates and creates a great environment for our Chicago area associates. It has been great working with a broad range of Capital One’s Chicagoland leaders, and we have started to involve the community and our clients in some of our activities. I believe that the more we can combine the various parts of our lives, in a way that works for each of us, the more successful and effective we can be in growing personally and professionally.