Latest news with #PatriciaCutilletta
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ICYMI: Patricia Cutilletta is this year's Remarkable Woman
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — She's self-made. She's a giver. And she's a dog lover. But we're not here for the short version. The long version is so much more interesting. And if you opened up a dictionary and turned to the word 'remarkable,' a picture of Patricia Cutilletta would almost certainly appear. She spent 35 years in the investment business, after working as an audiologist. She switched her career after being told, 'you're married now, we're going to hire somebody to compete with you.' After getting over that bout of disappointment, she pulled herself up by her bootstraps and became intrigued with the investment business. The investment business wasn't interested in hiring women at the time, so after being looked over time and time again, she decided to work with women. At that point in time, women were finally beginning to have careers, making money of their own. They were widowed or divorced, learning to manage their money for the first time. So Cutilletta made the decision to develop her own team of women, being the sole practitioner for 20 years. She took on a young partner shortly after, taking another eight years to take on a third partner. By the time Cutilletta retired, her team was made up of two other partners and four support staff. 'All female, and all female by choice,' Cutilletta said. The chairman of the firm used to tell Cutilletta the team isn't diverse enough, she said, 'It is what it is.' For these reasons and so many more, WMBD is proud to recognize Cutilletta as part of Nexstar Media's nationwide initiative to honor influential women across the country. In the meantime, she also dedicates time to OSF on their board, the OSF Foundation and the Foundation Finance Committee. The Peoria Riverfront Museum also has her heart, as she's on the museum's foundation, which she says is due to her finance background. And she's been volunteering with the food bank for four and a half years, every week. She's also on their advisory board and the National Development Committee. Her time giving back hasn't gone without challenges, though. Cutilletta was diagnosed with breast cancer. A day, she said, was the worst of her life. She's had routine mammograms since the age of 40, like clockwork. She's married to a doctor. 'I don't smoke. I don't over drink. I'm not heavy. I eat a good Mediterranean diet. I mean, I do all the things that you're supposed to do. It doesn't make any difference,' said Cutilletta. It was another routine mammogram that came out funky, needing a diagnostic workup. That's when a stage one tumor was discovered. Surgery went well, and chemotherapy luckily didn't make her sick. Now, it's been a few weeks since she had her last mammogram and sonogram, which both came out normal, and a second opinion agrees. But through all her time dedicated to her job, giving back, and fighting cancer, the most important piece of advice she can share with young women looking to lead a life like hers is to persevere. 'I don't care what your career is, you're going to have obstacles. Some of them will be self-made. Some of them will be put in front of you by competitors. Some of them will just happen. And you've got to persevere no matter what you do,' said Cutilletta. She also acknowledged going for what you want, especially in your career. Stop listening to what others expect of you and lead the life you crave. Cutilletta said, 'Find your way. Don't be afraid to make some mistakes.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Patricia Cutilletta named this year's Remarkable Woman
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — In March, we recognized four Remarkable Women in central Illinois as part of Nexstar Media's nationwide initiative to honor influential women across the country. On Tuesday, we announced that this year's winner was Patricia Cutilletta. She retired after 35 years in the investment business and has been spending her retirement volunteering at Midwest Food Bank. She is on the food banks advisory board and its National Development Committee. 2025 Remarkable Woman to be announced Tuesday She also serves as a board member with the OSF Healthcare Foundation and the Peoria Riverfront Museum Foundation. All of this, while dealing with breast cancer. As the winner she was awarded $1,000 to donate to the nonprofit of her choice, but said she would like to match the gift and give $1,000 to two other nonprofits of her choice. Cutilletta will also be invited to an awards ceremony in Los Angeles, where she and 124 other Remarkable women will have a chance to win $25,000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
2025 Remarkable Woman to be announced Tuesday
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — WMBD will announce its 2025 Remarkable Woman on Tuesday. Community members nominated women they wanted to recognize for their impact on Central Illinois. This year's Finalists include Claire Crone, Patricia Cutilletta, Debby Dant and Amy Dibler. Remarkable Women 2025 Submission The winner will receive $1,000 to donate to a nonprofit of their choice. The winner will also be invited to an awards ceremony in Los Angeles, where she and 124 other Remarkable women will have a chance to win $25,000. This year's winner will be announced during our 6 a.m. WMBD This Morning news. Last year's Remarkable Woman was Dr. Jamel Wright. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
2025 Remarkable Women Nominee: Patricia Cutilletta
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Every Tuesday in March, WMBD is recognizing one of the station's Remarkable Women nominations viewers have sent in. This week, WMBD is diving into Patricia Cutilletta's story. Cutilletta is self-made. She's a giver and a dog lover. She spent 35 years in the investment business, changing careers from audiology after facing gender bias in the workplace, but she said that bias continued in the finance world. 'The branch manager who hired me said, 'I have absolutely no interest in hiring a woman, but I guess I'm supposed to,'' said Cutilletta. But she did because after 20 years as a sole practitioner through Morgan Stanley, she took it upon herself to bring more women into the workplace. She started her own wealth management firm through Morgan Stanely, and through grew it to take charge of $700-800 million in assets for about 125 families. 'By the time I retired, we were a team of three partners, four support staff, all female and all female by choice,' said Cutilletta. She's since retired, but she suspects the team she created now manages more than $1 billion in assets. Despite her accomplishments, she remains humble about being nominated for WMBD's Remarkable Women. 'Why me? You know? There are a lot of really cool women out there,' said Cutilletta. 'So, I'm flattered and delighted, and proud of what I've done for the last umpteen years.' It's her work after retirement, however, that made her stand out. It allowed her to focus on giving back, and is actually the sole reason she retired in the first place. A Chicago kid born and raised, Peoria wasn't necessarily where she saw her retirement taking place. But her husband, Tony, insisted. 'If we're going to live in Peoria, then I have to have something to do. I'm not going to sit home and play bridge,' said Cutilletta. After searching for the perfect home to retire in, the realtor told Cutilletta about the builder of the house, who was willing to meet her. Larry Herman was the builder, and that's who walked into the home with another woman to discuss remodels with Cutilletta and her husband. That's when Cutilleta noticed their name tags saying 'Midwest Food Bank.' Cutilletta, interested, asked about it. After she moved into the newly remodeled home two years later, she called that woman who walked into the home alongside Larry, who happened to offer her phone number two years earlier. She also happened to be the Food Bank's executive director. Since then, she's been volunteering with the food bank for four and a half years, every week. Cutilletta is now also on their advisory board and the National Development Committee. 'I did all kinds of things, but now I pretty much am the 'hut lady.' I'm the person that is the first face that the agencies see when they come in for their monthly or weekly distributions,' said Cutilletta. As if that's not enough, she also serves as a board member for the OSF Healthcare Foundation and the Peoria Riverfront Museum Foundation. All of this, while dealing with breast cancer. Cutilletta said learning about her diagnosis was the worst day of her life. But she persevered because since that day, she's undergone surgery, chemotherapy, used scalp cooling to preserve her hair, and has now received all-clear results from follow-up exams, with a second opinion that agrees. Through all her time dedicated to her job, giving back, and fighting cancer, the most important piece of advice she can share with young women looking to lead a life like hers is to persevere. 'I don't care what your career is, you're going to have obstacles. Some of them will be self-made. Some of them will be put in front of you by competitors. Some of them will just happen. And you've got to persevere no matter what you do,' said Cutilletta. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
