Jason Patton: Leadership, Cultivating Community, and Financial Wellness

In a powerful episode of The Corelink Solution, host James Rosseau Sr. (Trig) sat down with longtime friend and corporate leader Jason Patton, Managing Director and Head of Community and Business Development for the Northeast Division of JPMorgan Chase. What unfolded was not just a conversation about business, but an intimate look at faith, resilience, and the responsibility of using one’s platform to create lasting impact.

From Ambition to Awakening

Patton’s journey into financial services began almost by accident. A Bronx native who studied marketing at Oakwood University, he was recruited into a rotational program at JPMorgan Chase more than 20 years ago. Initially, he was focused on climbing the corporate ladder and building his résumé.

That drive, however, came at a cost. In 2005, while juggling long hours at work and pursuing higher education, Patton suffered a health crisis that left him hospitalized for six weeks. He experienced seizures, temporary loss of speech, and even colorblindness. The near-death experience became a wake-up call. “How I was handling my career, it was really handling me,” he admitted.

With his mother’s prayers sustaining him, Patton recovered and returned to work with a different perspective: career success would no longer come at the expense of health, family, or purpose.

Faith at the Center

That health crisis also sparked a spiritual transformation. Though he had grown up Christian, Patton acknowledged that faith wasn’t personal until that moment. “Lord, you got my attention now,” he recalled.

He even considered leaving corporate America to pursue pastoral ministry. But through reflection and mentorship, he realized that ministry can also happen in boardrooms and bank branches. “You don’t have to be a pastor to be a minister,” he said. “You’re in a corporate space that pastors can’t go to. Use it.” This perspective has since guided his leadership and his approach to community impact.

Building Financial Health in Communities

Today, Patton leads efforts within Chase’s $30 billion five-year commitment to advance inclusive economic growth. His team focuses on bringing financial literacy and education to underserved communities—meeting people outside the four walls of a bank.

From partnering with nonprofits and universities to working with police departments and reentry programs, Patton has seen firsthand how financial education can transform lives. He cited sobering statistics: in 2023, 70% of Americans were not financially healthy, and nearly 30% of Black Americans were financially vulnerable. Yet he believes education and coaching can turn those numbers around.

One initiative especially close to his heart is the opening of a community financial center in the Bronx, just blocks from where he grew up. “Whether you bank with Chase or not, you can come in, sit down, and learn how to manage your finances,” he shared. It was more than a corporate milestone—it was a personal full-circle moment of giving back.

Leadership and Mentorship

Throughout the conversation, Rosseau highlighted Patton’s growth as a leader. Once a directive manager, Patton now describes his style as collaborative and servant-hearted. “People should know you care about them personally,” he said. “When they know that, they’re more motivated.”

Mentorship is another cornerstone of his work. Patton never turns down a mentee, seeing it as a way to honor those who once poured into him. For him, leadership is about leaving people better than you found them, both professionally and personally.

Living, Legacy, and Leaving

As he reflected on his career, Patton described it as unfolding in chapters. The first was about living—establishing financial stability. The second centers on legacy—building sustainable initiatives that outlast him, like the Bronx community center. And the third will one day be about leaving—ensuring the next generation inherits stronger systems, healthier communities, and leaders prepared to continue the mission.

When asked what he would tell his 18-year-old self, his advice was simple yet profound: “Take care of your health. If you’re not well physically and mentally, you won’t be around to care for the people who need you the most.”

Final Thoughts

Jason Patton’s story is one of perseverance, purpose, and faith lived out in the corporate world. His career may have started with ambition, but today it is defined by impact. As Rosseau noted, Patton’s life reminds us that success is not just about climbing higher—it’s about reaching wider, lifting others, and leaving something behind that matters.

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TIMESTAMPS

0:00 – Introduction and reconnecting with Jason Patton
6:30 – Jason reveals his introverted side and public speaking journey
9:30 – How Jason entered financial services “by accident”
12:00 – Shifting from chasing success to impacting lives
14:30 – Health crisis and life-changing hospitalization
16:30 – How faith became personal after tragedy
19:15 – Considering ministry vs. finding purpose in corporate spaces
23:00 – Lessons on continual learning and connecting to company mission
25:15 – Financial literacy and building trust in underserved communities
29:00 – Stark statistics on financial health in America
33:50 – Opening a community financial center in the Bronx
36:30 – Choosing community impact over profit-driven leadership roles
40:10 – Evolving leadership style: from directive to servant leader
43:30 – The importance of mentorship and giving back
46:30 – Learning from both great and terrible managers
52:00 – Creating inclusive spaces and bringing your whole self to work
54:00 – Financial literacy programs in schools and coaching for behavior change
56:00 – Thinking in chapters: living, legacy, and leaving
58:00 – Advice to his younger self: health, balance, and faith
1:01:00 – Closing reflections and resources

Related Radio Show: The Corelink Solution Show