Where good people grow: Brandon Cooke on mentorship and presence

Now in his 12th year at the firm, Brandon Cooke is a director in Information Technology (IT) Compliance, holds the  Series 7, 24, and 66 licenses, and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional and Certified Information Security Manager. But he is also so much more: a recent MBA graduate, a mentor (both at Raymond James and in the community), a leader within the firm’s Encore inclusion network, a two-time Robert A. James Award of Service Excellence recipient, a Raymond James art docent, a community gardener, and a “center of influence” (according to his colleagues).

At his core, though, Brandon is a nurturer – and it shows in his commitment to the firm and his community. A Narragansett, Rhode Island native, Brandon moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, in 2007 to attend Eckerd College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He watches LinkedIn for Eckerd College graduates who join the company so he can reach out to see how he can help them settle in. He’s even recruited four associates to the firm and continues to keep up with them.

"I try to be as helpful as I can at all times. But this means I also had to get good at prioritizing. I always want to help people, but at some point, they have to come along for the ride."

A major turning point in Brandon’s journey was when he learned this for himself and took ownership of his career. After an 18-month stint in Customer Accounts, Brandon moved to Raymond James Financial Services (RJFS) Compliance, where several opportunities for promotion presented themselves over the following four years. But Brandon didn’t apply for them. “I was waiting for someone to notice my hard work and say, ‘This next thing is for you.’ I eventually realized I had to create my next step, and not just wait for someone else to do it for me.”

In 2018, he saw Electronic Communications as an area of growth and made a lateral move from Compliance to Supervision. “I was on a team of about 20 email reviewers, reporting to the head of RJFS Advisor Supervision,” he recalls. “I could see that my manager was quite busy, so I approached her and said, ‘You need a manager to lead trainings and get everyone on equal footing. I can do it.’ She agreed. 

"It taught me that you can make things happen just by advocating for yourself."

Three years ago, Brandon transitioned to IT Compliance, which he describes as “a rapidly evolving space, both from a practical and regulatory perspective.” Even as his responsibilities have increased, his commitment to helping others endures. He guides interns and new associates in his department, noting that mentorship is very important to him. “I’ve been fortunate to have great mentors over the years,” says Brandon. “I realize how instrumental that was for me to become who I am.”

Mentorship also completes a circle for Brandon, who often had allergies growing up. “My grandfather used to pick me up at the bus stop. Now, he didn’t do anything else too extraordinary in my life. But he was there at the bus stop to wipe my face with his handkerchief and give me some M&Ms. It wasn’t anything profound, but he was there and present, which gave me safety, security and the sense of being seen. It taught me that the bar is pretty low to get involved in someone else’s life.”

Today, Brandon carries a handkerchief to remind him to be present with other people – although, at this point, it’s clear that he doesn’t need a reminder.

Brandon, pictured on left, enjoys traveling and birding in Florida’s state parks. Pictured on right with colleagues Andrew Plata, Michelle Blazowski and Jeremy Zimmer, Brandon has led groups out to Tampa Bay Watch to build oyster reef balls for Raymond James Cares service projects.