Woman of the Week: Dina Tantra

Here at Executive Elements, we like to feature fantastic women we think you should know. Some of these women are clients, some are friends, some are women we’ve only just met. But they all have this in common: they are dynamic, interesting gals who have agreed to share with us their insights and secrets to success.

Dina Tantra

My Current Job/Company:
Today I wear multiple hats, President/Trustee of Advisers Investment Trust, General Counsel of Beacon Hill Fund Services, Chief Compliance Officer of BHIL Distributors…I also pick up the mail, water the plants and take out the recycling. We’re a full service organization!

My Birthdate:
10/19/69

My Work:
Aligning with strategic partners, we manage and grow our clients’ mutual fund business so that they can focus their time and attention on what they do best – picking stocks and finding shareholders.

My Passion:
Strategic planning – a mixed blessing and a curse (ask my husband) as I’m always trying to think five steps ahead.

My Family:
My husband, Brian. In 1997 when I moved back to Columbus from Kansas City my girlfriend said, “You have to meet Brian Kolda, he’s the NICEST guy.” She was right. Next year we are celebrating our 10th anniversary.

My Hero:
My grandfather, who passed away in 1989. He told me to enjoy life to the fullest, but practice moderation.

My Escape:
Traveling with my husband, either exploring or simply going for a long bike ride.

My Pet Peeve:
People who are oblivious to any perspective except their own.

My Indulgence:
Travel with my family, because we have enough “stuff” and I would rather invest in experiences and memories which last a lifetime.

My Roots:
Having a trusted safety net which has afforded me to luxury of being able to take calculated risks along my life roadmap.

My Future:
This saying is framed on my wall, “She wasn’t where she had been. She wasn’t where she was going…..but she was on her way.”

My Quote on Life:
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.” Robert Frost

My Accessory:
My pedometer. Every morning I wake up with an opportunity to hit my goal for the day and I wake up the next morning, hit the reset button, and start again with a clean slate.

My Advice to Young Women:
Identify your “genius” – the quadrant where high skill and high energy intersect, and spend your time in your area of genius. Know yourself well enough to know that if you are not there, be willing to take a risk to make a change.

How I Balance it All:
I view my life as a piechart and for every wedge that gets larger, the others get squeezed into smaller slices. Every once in awhile, step away, re-evaluate and make sure you make time for yourself. Continuous improvement requires investment in your soul.