Being MORE: how BMO helped Jorge Martinez turned a distant dream into a reality

Jorge Martinez, an Associate Banker at BMO’s Brighton Park branch in Chicago, used to work at a printing company. He started as a part-time employee and eventually worked his way up to a printing operator. However, the long shifts and strenuous labor – combined with having two young children at home – motivated Jorge to seek out new opportunities. 

Jorge found those opportunities through BMORE, a workforce development program created through a partnership between BMO and Cara Chicago. The program focuses on removing barriers to employment and increasing access to careers in banking and finance. Since its launch in 2020, BMORE has created over 80 hires in the financial sector for local, diverse talent in Illinois, Wisconsin and Arizona.  

Jorge was always interested in finance, constantly reading financial news and tracking the stock market. BMORE provided a perfect opportunity to dive into a new industry. After completing the program’s training and onboarding courses, Jorge was overjoyed to start his new career. 

“Things have improved a lot for my family. I can now provide more and be a role model for my kids by learning and achieving. I’m very thankful for BMORE, it’s a great program. It shows that BMO cares.” 

– Jorge Martinez,
Associate Banker, BMO

The BMORE program has benefits for BMO as well – it’s helping to better connect our products to customers. Jorge, a fluent Spanish speaker, has already created strong relationships with the large Latino community at his branch. 

“At the Brighton Park branch, we are working to bridge communication barriers with our Spanish-speaking customers. Helping our customers make real financial progress is super rewarding, and I am grateful to have a role in creating positive change.”  

– Jorge Martinez,
Associate Banker, BMO

Through BMORE, Jorge’s career path has changed drastically for the better. Working in finance went from being a distant dream to a reality, and Jorge is hoping to grow his career at BMO just as he did at the printing company.  

“Working at BMO has given me a clear path for career success. My goal is to get more involved in management or financial advising – and someday, retire from BMO.” 

– Jorge Martinez,
Associate Banker, BMO

The BMORE program will continue to expand west with BMO’s growing footprint, helping us to live out our Purpose to build a thriving economy and more equitable society for community members throughout the U.S.