Liza Tyler

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As a 14-year-old candy striper at a local hospital in Appleton, Wis., Liza Tyler learned the value of giving back.

“I would ride my bike there to volunteer,” she says. “I have always had a passion for helping others.”

Today, in addition to working as a Charlotte-based executive officer and managing director of New York Life, Tyler volunteers with many professional and civic organizations, including the American Red Cross, Links for Literacy, the Susan G. Komen Foundation and various Republican women’s groups.

“I feel life isn’t about what you do or what you’ve accomplished, but how much you give back to others and the difference you have made in someone’s life,” she says.

As a collegiate golfer at the University of Minnesota, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1993, Tyler developed a passion for teamwork and positive thinking, which has carried over into her professional life.

“Being a student of business,” she says, “hard work, building good teams, and collaboration have been at the core of my success. My turning point came when I was asked to lead a sales team at the age of 36.

This taught me how to transition from an individual contributor to a leader. In 2009, I was brought on by New York Life as an officer of the company.”

On October 12, 2012, Tyler had the honor of ringing the opening bell of the New York Stock

Exchange, an opportunity few people ever receive.

Also last fall, she spoke to members of the U.S.  House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate on the challenges women face in retirement.

“The ability to bring my career-long focus in financial services and my personal interest in helping women succeed made this a meaningful accomplishment,” she says.

For all her success, it was the setbacks that taught Tyler her biggest lessons.

“Setbacks are a part of life, and how you respond is critical,” she says. “If you have a setback, remain optimistic and embrace change. With every setback comes an opportunity for growth.”

Throughout Tyler’s career, she has remained close to her family.

Inspired by her father, who is a cancer survivor, Tyler will be joining Team Reeb, a local fundraising team, in the 2013 “24 Hours of Booty,” a Charlotte-based cycling ride that supports cancer research.

“Until last summer, when I was a spectator at the event, I had never been on a real road bike,” she says. “The ride and the people involved inspired me to learn to ride on behalf of my father and friends who have been impacted by cancer.”

Over the years Tyler has learned the importance of making her community better through people she serves, and she counts her experiences as her greatest lessons.

“I know that whether fundraising, volunteering or completing the simplest task, I can make a meaningful contribution to the lives of others, personally and professionally,” she says.

And for Tyler, this is just the beginning.