A key Schwab web manager jumps cross country to Pershing

Mike Golaszewski has left his position as managing director and channel owner at SchwabAdvisorCenter.com to join Pershing LLC as business technology officer.

His relocation from left to right coast is happening this week — he confirmed the move in an email to RIABiz on the way into Manhattan to pick up the keys to his new place. Pershing’s headquarters are in Jersey City, just across the water from Manhattan. Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. is in San Francisco.

One source close to the company says that Pershing, a business-to-business company, is looking to bolster NetExchange Client, the portion of NetX360 that advisors can use to allow clients to view their accounts. The Schwab equivalent is SchwabAlliance. Golaszewski’s long experience with Schwab’s website potentially makes him very valuable in replicating this effort.

“Pershing is committed to providing our customers with market-leading technology and business solutions. We continually invest in the development and growth of the team we need to deliver on that vision for our customers, and Mike will be a strong contributor to that team,” says Lucille Mayer, managing director, technology products and services for Pershing.

Bigger uses

Dan Skiles, formerly the head of technology for Schwab Advisor Services, says that he imagines that Pershing will have bigger uses for Golaszewski than merely working on NetExchange Client. Skiles uses NetX360 and works closely with the company in his current position as senior executive with Shareholder Services Group, a La Jolla, Calif.-based RIA custodian.

“He’s all about delivering and moving a project down the playing field. That’s incredible important for a large organization. He’s a problem solver. He was never afraid of the big projects.”

Golaszewski has been with Schwab since 1997, except for a three-year stint at Washington Mutual Card Services, according to his LinkedIn profile. He graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism in 1993.

RIABiz spoke with Golaszewski last September about his role in re-vamping of the website used by RIA clients of Schwab Advisor Services. See: Schwab’s big effort yields big improvements. In that interview, he said that Schwab’s website is fully revamped but that it is still going to go through many big improvements.

Replacement soon

“We are in the process of identifying a replacement for Mike, and our very experienced team that drives and supports SchwabAdvisorCenter.com strategy, day-to-day execution, and support remains in place,” says Michael Cianfrocca, a spokesperson for Schwab. “There should be no issue or interruption for advisors, and we expect to have a replacement soon.”

“We certainly wish him well,” he adds.

Skiles says that Golaszewski is a loss for Schwab. “It’s a distraction; it’s not helpful, but there’s a lot of talented people there,” he says.

Golaszewski had played a key role in the formation of Schwab Intelligent Integration, according to his LinkedIn profile. Sources say he’s well-known for being able to see the big picture of technology ecosystems and then execute based on that vision.

“Mike has a gift for getting to the core of any business problem and helping technical teams address those issues directly and completely,” writes Alan Saporta, former director of software development at Schwab in a recommendation on Golaszewski’s LinkedIn profile.

Editor’s Note: Lucille Mayer’s quote was added subsequent to publication of this article and the headline was partially changed to clarify Golaszewski’s role.