Meet the U.S. Bank Employee Taking On 'The World’s Toughest Row'
Jo Murray, senior vice president in U.S. Bank's Global Corporate Trust, is preparing for 'The World's Toughest Row' in December 2025. This challenge involves rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to the West Indies. Murray's team, 'The Only Way is Rowing,' consists of three women who have been training for over 18 months. The preparation includes securing a $100,000 specialized ocean rowing boat, extensive safety training, and physical conditioning. Murray balances this endeavor with her full-time role at U.S. Bank, where she leads the business management function within Corporate Trust in Europe. The team is also raising money for three nonprofits: Rewilding Britain, Wilderness Foundation UK, and Shelter.
Jo Murray, vicepresidente senior di Global Corporate Trust di U.S. Bank, si sta preparando per 'La Rema più Dura del Mondo' a dicembre 2025. Questa sfida implica remare 3.000 miglia attraverso l'Oceano Atlantico, dalle Isole Canarie alle Indie Occidentali. Il team di Murray, 'L'Unico Modo è Remare', è composto da tre donne che si allenano da oltre 18 mesi. La preparazione include l'acquisto di una barca da remo oceanica specializzata da 100.000 dollari, un'ampia formazione sulla sicurezza e un condizionamento fisico. Murray bilancia questo impegno con il suo ruolo a tempo pieno presso U.S. Bank, dove dirige la funzione di gestione aziendale all'interno di Corporate Trust in Europa. Il team sta anche raccogliendo fondi per tre organizzazioni no-profit: Rewilding Britain, Wilderness Foundation UK e Shelter.
Jo Murray, vicepresidenta senior en Global Corporate Trust de U.S. Bank, se está preparando para 'La Regata Más Difícil del Mundo' en diciembre de 2025. Este desafío consiste en remar 3,000 millas a través del océano Atlántico, desde las Islas Canarias hasta las Indias Occidentales. El equipo de Murray, 'La Única Manera es Remar', está compuesto por tres mujeres que han estado entrenando durante más de 18 meses. La preparación incluye asegurar un bote de remo oceánico especializado de $100,000, una extensa capacitación en seguridad y acondicionamiento físico. Murray equilibra este esfuerzo con su papel a tiempo completo en U.S. Bank, donde lidera la función de gestión empresarial dentro de Corporate Trust en Europa. El equipo también está recaudando fondos para tres organizaciones sin fines de lucro: Rewilding Britain, Wilderness Foundation UK y Shelter.
조 머레이, U.S. Bank의 글로벌 기업 신탁의 수석 부사장이 2025년 12월 '세계에서 가장 힘든 노 젓기'에 대비하고 있습니다. 이 도전은 카나리아 제도에서 서인도 제도까지 대서양을 가로지르는 3,000마일을 노젓는 것입니다. 머레이의 팀인 '유일한 방법은 노젓기'는 18개월 이상 훈련해 온 세 명의 여성으로 구성되어 있습니다. 준비 과정에는 10만 달러의 전문 해양 노 젓기 배를 확보하고, 광범위한 안전 교육 및 신체 적응 훈련이 포함됩니다. 머레이는 유럽의 기업 신탁 내에서 비즈니스 관리 기능을 이끄는 U.S. Bank에서의 전일제 역할과 이 노력을 병행하고 있습니다. 또한 팀은 Rewilding Britain, Wilderness Foundation UK, Shelter의 세 개 비영리 단체를 위해 자금을 모으고 있습니다.
Jo Murray, vice-présidente senior de Global Corporate Trust de U.S. Bank, se prépare pour 'La Rame la Plus Difficile au Monde' en décembre 2025. Ce défi consiste à ramer 3 000 miles à travers l'océan Atlantique, des îles Canaries aux Antilles. L'équipe de Murray, 'Le Seul Chemin est de Ramer', se compose de trois femmes qui s'entraînent depuis plus de 18 mois. La préparation inclut l'acquisition d'un bateau de rame océanique spécialisé de 100 000 dollars, une formation approfondie à la sécurité et un conditionnement physique. Murray équilibre cet engagement avec son rôle à temps plein chez U.S. Bank, où elle dirige la fonction de gestion d'entreprise au sein de Corporate Trust en Europe. L'équipe collecte également des fonds pour trois organisations à but non lucratif : Rewilding Britain, Wilderness Foundation UK et Shelter.
Jo Murray, Senior Vice President von Global Corporate Trust der U.S. Bank, bereitet sich auf 'Die Härteste Ruderfahrt der Welt' im Dezember 2025 vor. Diese Herausforderung beinhaltet das Rudern von 3.000 Meilen über den Atlantischen Ozean von den Kanarischen Inseln zu den Westindischen Inseln. Murrays Team, 'Der Einzige Weg ist Rudern', besteht aus drei Frauen, die über 18 Monate lang trainiert haben. Die Vorbereitung umfasst die Beschaffung eines spezialisierten Ozeanruderbootes für 100.000 Dollar, umfassende Sicherheitsschulungen und körperliche Fitness. Murray balanciert dieses Vorhaben mit ihrer Vollzeitrolle bei U.S. Bank, wo sie die Geschäftsführungsfunktion innerhalb des Corporate Trust in Europa leitet. Das Team sammelt auch Geld für drei gemeinnützige Organisationen: Rewilding Britain, Wilderness Foundation UK und Shelter.
- Demonstrates U.S. Bank's support for employee personal growth and challenges
- Potential positive PR for U.S. Bank through employee's high-profile adventure
- Fundraising effort for nonprofits aligns with corporate social responsibility
- None.
Jo Murray, senior vice president in Global Corporate Trust, is preparing to row across the Atlantic Ocean
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / September 12, 2024 / U.S. Bank
London-based Jo Murray is on a team with two other women training for The World's Toughest Row, which will take place in December 2025.
Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog
After the youngest of Jo Murray's two sons left home, she decided to embrace the new chapter in her life and embark on a new adventure - one that will involve rowing some 3,000 miles across the open ocean from the Canary Islands off the Coast of North Africa to the West Indies in the Caribbean.
"My children are grown up, and I thought it would be lovely to have a challenge and adventure, and if I'm not going to do it now when am I going to do it?" said Murray, senior vice president in U.S. Bank's Global Corporate Trust.
London-based Murray is on a team with two other women training for The World's Toughest Row, which will take place in December 2025. They've already been planning and training for the event for over 18 months, and preparation for the undertaking is no small feat. First, there was securing the specialized ocean rowing boat, which costs
"Part of the reason we selected The World's Toughest Row is we wanted to have an adventure, but we didn't want to be stupid about it," Murray said. "It's part of an organized row, and there are safety precautions and rules and regulations coming out of your ears.
It's a little like banking in that regard," she added with a laugh.
Finally, there is the physical preparation. Murray already was an avid coastal rower, taking up the sport in earnest about six years ago. The logistics of keeping a boat rowing properly on course, night and day, without interruption for an estimated 45 days straight brings its own unique challenges. Murray is focusing on building up her core strength and flexibility so her body can withstand rowing while the boat is rolled by ocean waves that could potentially top 30 feet.
"The most important thing is not getting injured, because if something happens and one of you can't row you are really in trouble," she said.
Beyond the challenge of continuously rowing, the team also has to successfully navigate trading spots within the boat every two or three hours, allowing each of the team members to briefly nap or prepare food so they each can consume the estimated 4,000 calories they will need each day. Murray plans to acclimate her body for that schedule by setting her alarm for all hours of the night and hopping on her rowing machine so she knows how to competently row while profoundly sleep-deprived.
"It's given me a renewed appreciation for what a team can accomplish when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts ...That's what work is, too - people with different experiences and skills working together for the common goal of delivering effectively to our clients."
- Jo Murray
Daunting as all of that sounds, Murray is invigorated by the scope of the undertaking and the bonding she's already experienced with her two teammates, one of whom is a longtime friend she met through coastal rowing and the other who joined the team later and has become a dear friend too.
"I really like the idea of an adventure with a group of women who rely on each other," she said. "We've formed that same kind of friendship and bond that you have with your close friends as a child."
Murray is doing all of this while working full-time at U.S. Bank, heading the business management function within the bank's Corporate Trust group in Europe. Corporate Trust supports issuers of debt, including institutional clients, corporations, other banks and investment managers. Preparing for The World's Toughest Row has underscored the value of teamwork for Murray that she carries through to her work at the bank.
"It's given me a renewed appreciation for what a team can accomplish when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts," she said. "We are three women, and friends, who row together but we all have different backgrounds and skill sets. That's what work is, too - people with different experiences and skills working together for the common goal of delivering effectively to our clients."
Murray says her manager and colleagues have "all been incredibly supportive, but they also think I'm mad."
When the event begins in December 2025, Murray and her team will have to complete the row completely unassisted. Any resupplies of food, potable water or other supplies will result in disqualification. Their boat will have beacons so it will be visible to ships and the boat must carry three satellite phones, but the team will mostly be out of touch with friends and family in England until they land on the shores of Antigua.
Murray's team, named The Only Way is Rowing, is raising money with their adventure for three nonprofit organizations with their endeavor - Rewilding Britain, Wilderness Foundation UK and Shelter. The nonprofits' missions are closely tied to team's love of nature, helping preserve it or expand access to improve mental health and wellbeing.
"I love rowing on the open water - it's so lovely. Being out in nature to helps to balance you," she said. All of the team members "get so much pleasure from being out in the nature, and we want to give some of that back."
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View the original press release on accesswire.com
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