For Chaz Rodriguez, a Lifetime of Hard Work Pays Off

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As senior managing director and associate general counsel of Webster Bank, N.A., Chaz Rodriguez achieved a goal he set for himself when he was growing up: to find a career that would make his parents proud.

Rodriguez is a first-generation college graduate who grew up in a proud blue-collar family. His mom, who died when he was in college, was a Milwaukee police officer, and his dad worked as a repairman for the Milwaukee Fire Department.

“My parents stressed the importance of education,” he notes. “They saw that as the great equalizer.”

Part Chinese, Mexican, Polish, and German, Rodriguez is a prime example of America’s melting pot reputation. He and his two brothers were part of a program where they lived in Milwaukee but were bused out to a suburb for middle school. He was also heavily involved in sports, which was his parents’ way of keeping him out of trouble.

“I have family and friends who ended up in gangs and fell victim to a lot of the distractions that youth often fall victim to,” Rodriguez shares. “I went to an all-boys high school, Marquette University High School in Milwaukee, a private school, but my [and my brothers’] experience was very different because we participated in a work grant, so we had to offset the cost of tuition by washing dishes at lunchtime, cleaning the cafeteria, or washing lab equipment after school.”

So, he understood the value of hard work early on, and that has stayed with him throughout his career.

Rodriguez attended college at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and found some mentors, to name a couple, Cleveland James and Ben Rodriguez, who were impactful to his experience, opening the door for more opportunities.

“I didn’t know what to expect from college. No one tells you what to do, so I had no idea what the pitfalls were and the things to look out for,” he recalls. “But I had values like hard work, integrity, and excellence that my parents instilled in me that served as my guide. When my mom passed, I wanted to honor her legacy and values—and carry those to the next level, which was law school.”

Rodriguez continued to work hard, he attended UIC School of Law and law school opened another door that propelled him to the career point that he’s at now, serving as in-house legal counsel for Webster Bank, N.A., supporting HSA Bank, a division of Webster Bank, N.A., and Ametros Financial Corporation.

“I work closely with executive and senior leadership in different lines of business to provide legal support, whether that’s contracts, regulatory, statutory interpretation, strategic advice … it varies, and I have to wear multiple hats each day,” Rodriguez says. “You must be very agile to have the job that I have, but I thrive in a fast-paced environment.”

In his role, Rodriguez works with what he calls “an exceptional” number of colleagues both in and out of the legal department and says it’s a privilege to work with people who are at the top of their game who make him want to be better at his craft every day.

“As a minority, in the position that I’m in, there’s not too many of us, and I believe diversity is crucial. It’s about ‘wisdom of crowds,’ and studies have shown that a collective opinion from a diverse and independent group of individuals produce better results,” he says. “Any presumptions that I’m at where I’m at because of some sort of handout totally negates and overlooks the amount of sacrifice it takes to get to where I’m at in my career.”

When it comes to his department, Rodriguez leads by example, demonstrating integrity and ethical behavior in all he does.

“Rising through the ranks, I emulated the things I respected in other leaders and incorporated that into my craft,” he says. “As a values-driven leader, it’s important to demonstrate values like accountability and excellence daily.”

Before joining HSA Bank, a division of Webster Bank, N.A., in 2019, Rodriguez worked for the law firm J Peterman Legal Group (formally known as Blommer Peterman), for seven years, followed by Northwestern Mutual for four years.

He credits his family, friends and colleagues he’s had throughout his career journey with keeping him focused and encouraging him to become a solid and savvy attorney.

“I had values like hard work, integrity, and excellence that my parents instilled in me that served as my guide. When my mom passed, I wanted to honor her legacy and values—and carry those to the next level, which was law school.”

Chaz Rodriguez

Rodriguez was named the Best Assistant Corporate Counsel by the Milwaukee Business Journal in 2023. A group of his colleagues and fiancé were by his side cheering him on.

“Believing in myself was a big part of it, but there’s no substitute for hard work,” he says. “To put in the work and polish your craft was pivotal for me when I worked at the law firm. As a minority, and because of misunderstandings some may have about DEI and the false belief that it prioritizes diversity over merit, I felt I had to work twice as hard to overcome questions of competence and skepticism of why I’m at where I’m at today.”

Outside of work, Rodriguez coaches kids in sports: three hockey teams for each of his kids at Milwaukee Winter Club plus baseball for the Glendale Knights. He’s following in the footsteps of his dad, who always coached his sons’ teams.

“For me, coaching is an integral part of mentorship,” he explains. “Not only do I get to spend more time with my kids, but you help shape the character and values of other kids as well. And me being a minority coach fosters an environment of inclusivity.”

Reflecting on his life, Rodriguez acknowledges that while his education opened valuable doors for him, his own contributions mattered, too. He’s still had to work hard and find his own opportunities to achieve success.

“As I continue my journey, I find myself learning every day from the dynamic group of people that surround me,” he says. “For me, life really is like the American dream: hard work, determination, and values pay off.”  

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