Arvest Bank promotes Eric Bunnell to president of equipment leasing division

Arvest Bank has promoted Eric Bunnell to president of Arvest Equipment Finance, according to a news release.

Bunnell, a certified lease and financial professional, was previously senior vice president and sales manager for Arvest. He’s worked for the bank since 2012 and has been in commercial lending since 2001. He’s a member of the CLFP Board of Directors and also serves as a member of the National Equipment Finance Association.

In his new position, Bunnell will lead the bank’s commercial equipment finance division.

“Eric’s industry experience and track record here at Arvest made him a natural choice to lead AEF,” Craig Rivaldo, president and CEO of Arvest Bank in Benton County, said in a news release. “We are excited about what Eric will bring to his new role and know that AEF is in good hands as that segment of our business continues to grow.”

Through October of this year, AEF had $223.7 million in loans and leases. In 2015, AEF had $187.6 million in loans and leases, a 28% increase from $146.4 million in 2014, according to MonitorDaily, a publication of the equipment leasing and finance industry.

Bunnell is a native of Trenton, Mo., and earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics at the University of Missouri. He has been active in numerous Kansas City organizations and will relocate to Fort Smith. He and his wife, Kristin, have two daughters.