Oklahoman named DEI officer at Arvest Bank
by October 26, 2022 11:36 am 1,251 views
Fayetteville-chartered Arvest Bank said Wednesday (Oct. 26) that Cinthya Allen of Norman, Okla., is the company’s new chief diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) officer, effective Nov. 1.
Allen will join the bank after working as DEI officer and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator for the city of Norman. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Oklahoma.
Allen will remain based in Oklahoma.
“I am thrilled that Cinthya is joining the Arvest family,” Arvest Chief People Officer Laura Andress said in a news release. “Her passion, drive and dedication to DE&I – both within the bank as well as in our communities – makes her a perfect person to lead these efforts. The result will be a more respectful and inclusive workforce, workplaces and communities for us all to grow and celebrate for decades to come.”
According to the release, her DE&I roots trace to AT&T, where she led HACEMOS, AT&T’s Latino-focused employer resource group, among other responsibilities. She led HACEMOS as it grew in membership from 900 to 11,000 members and ultimately served as its national president. Allen also led corporate external affairs and served as a state-registered lobbyist for AT&T.
Allen is a board member for the Latino Community Development Agency and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Norman and is a member of the Norman Rotary Club.
“I am excited to join the Arvest family,” Allen said. “The people-centric commitment that runs throughout the organization is the lifeblood of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion principles. I look forward to partnering with our teams to learn, lead and build our workforce and communities in transformative ways.”
Arvest has more than $26 billion in assets and offices in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
Allen fills the role previously held by LaTricia Hill Chandler of Rogers. In 2019, she was named Arvest Bank’s first DEI officer, overseeing the initiative across the company’s four-state footprint.
Hill-Chandler took a similar role with Southern Bancorp Inc. this past summer.