Company: Harris Bank
Company Description: Harris Facts: Founded 1882 as N.W. Harris & Co. Established as a bank 1907 as Harris Trust and Savings Bank Parent Company BMO Financial Group, Toronto, Canada. Headquarters 111 W. Monroe St.,Chicago, Illinois 60603 Branches 202 in Chicago, the suburbs and Northwest Indiana. ATMs 547, Total Assest $287 billion U.S. Dollars. Number of U.S. employees 6,785
Nomination Category: Sales Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Sales Executive

Nomination Title: Hildegard Betts, Senior Vice President, eChannel Services

   1. Tell the story about what this nominee achieved in the past year (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

          Ms. Betts leads the eChannel Services division of Harris Bank - a 200+ employee
          division consisting of a multi-faceted sales and service engine supporting the
          bank's retail, business and investment divisions.  During her sixth year of
          leadership of this vitally important division of the organization, Ms. Betts
          division continues to achieve high levels of business production far surpassing
          industry norms in nearly all areas of responsibility.  Total sales growth from
          2005 to 2006 was up 69.7%.  For comparison purposes, under Ms. Betts
          leadership, sales growth for the period 2001 to 2007 (her tenure within her
          current role)are 20-times higher than when she took the realm.  Sales for this
          year (2007) are expected to be nearly 100% higher than last years record mark.

          In addition to growing sales at incredible levels, Ms. Betts also has the
          distinction of having one of the highest group employee-satisfaction and client
          satisfaction ratings in the company.

          Ms. Betts has also maintained/reduced discretionary spending during her tenure -
           which, when considering the tremendous sales growth during the same period,
          has resulted in productivity improvements also surpassing norms.

          Year after year, Ms. Betts has proven to show rare entrepreneurial skills and
          abilities.  She has provided the vision, strategy and tactical ability to
          courageously change what once was a "client contact center" and redesign that
          into what is now "eChannel Services" - - a major sales and service engine
          accounting for a large portion of new business production for the bank.

          She has gained the respect of her superiors, peers and subordinates alike!  She
          is truly one-of-a-kind - - as evidenced most by this past year of performance.

   2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

   3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about this nominee:

          Ms. Betts is a 25+ year veteran of Harris Bank holding various senior
          management positions in both corporate and institutional banking and community
          banking divisions.  She was born in Germany, and now resides in Olympia Fields,
          IL - - making the daily 50+ mile commute to Buffalo Grove, IL (her main office).