When he was a college student in 1999, Alex-Bobbie Mason began working for TD Bank Group (TD) as a senior customer service officer after a friend encouraged him to apply. It would turn out to be a personal turning point. As a visible minority, a member of the LGBTQ2+ community and a person living with a disability, he would find a mentor – and become comfortable with his true self – at work.
“Growing up, I was bullied because of my speech impediment,” says Mason, who has been in his current role at TD as manager of customer experience since 2018. “It’s a constant struggle, with the goal of being ‘perfect’ always hovering over my horizon. I consider myself lucky because of the support I’ve received from within TD and the encouragement to challenge myself.”
Promoted to senior relocation services officer in 2005, Mason spent the next eight years helping his TD colleagues manage their moves and make relocation experiences as seamless as possible. During that time, he met Al Ramsay, associate vice president of LGBTQ2+ and Black customer segments. Shortly after, Ramsay became Mason’s mentor and made a big impact in his life and career.
“It’s rewarding to see someone grow in their career and pursue their full potential,” says Ramsay. “I recruited Alex to the Black Employee Committee at TD and nominated him to lead our community outreach pillar, where he excelled at bringing his volunteerism to life. In the process, Alex taught me resiliency and helped me understand what it’s like to be a member of the people with disabilities community.”
Ramsay first joined TD in 2005 to support diversity and inclusion initiatives, tasked with leading the community relations strategy to build the brand in diverse communities across Canada. “At TD, my Blackness and queerness has been an asset, not a liability,” he says.
Although Mason felt the same way about his own diversity within the bank, and he was doing well there, in 2012 he left to explore and focus on self-discovery. The next year, he returned to TD with a renewed sense of purpose and confidence, and chose to shift his career path and work within the customer-facing side of TD. He says the bank encourages colleagues to unlock their full potential and constantly explore new career paths and goals.
“I felt that I could give back to my community more by working in customer service,” says Mason. “Internally, I started to get more involved in diversity and inclusion initiatives, which is easy to do at TD because they genuinely believe in and prioritize equality issues. I want to work for a company that cares for me and encourages my career choices, and TD truly does.”
Upon his return, Mason joined the bank’s Black Employee Network, as well as Toastmasters to help strengthen his public-speaking skills and confidence. Embracing his new role in customer service, he enjoys working with his close-knit team at a branch in Toronto’s Leslieville neighbourhood.
“We’re a small family, and the way we pull together for each other and our community – especially during the challenges of the pandemic – is a beautiful thing,” says Mason. “TD is committed to helping enrich our lives and encourages us to gain new perspectives and build our skill set to feel confident about our future and our career development. I’m surrounded by supportive leaders who want to help make a difference.”
And although Ramsay is now a senior leader himself, he echoes Mason’s feelings: “The executives I first interviewed with are still my biggest champions, both personally and professionally.”
