JENNINGS

Honored With Emerging Leader Award

Arvest Bank is pleased to announce Eileen Jennings, director of Community Lending and Investment for Arvest Opportunity Fund, has been named a recipient of the American Bankers Association 2024 Emerging Leader Awards.

The award recognizes the next generation of bank leaders who are committed to the highest standards of achievement and service to both their industry and local communities. The judging criteria included dedication to the profession, inventiveness, leadership skills, mentoring ability, personal integrity, tenure at the bank and broader commitment to a career in banking, sustained career progress, and academic training including advanced degrees and certificates/certifications.

The winners were selected by a diverse steering committee of industry professionals after a review of nominations from banks across the country. Jennings was one of 12 bankers selected to receive the award.

“It’s truly an honor to be recognized in this way and hopefully shine a light on the Arvest Opportunity Fund’s mission of investing in people through finance and education,” said Jennings. “Helping move people from underbanked to a fully bankable status not only helps them but strengthens the economic health and stability of the communities we serve.”

Jennings, who has more than 20 years’ experience working in business lending, helped launch the Arvest Opportunity Fund in 2022 as a wholly owned, non-bank subsidiary of Arvest Bank to provide loans, lines of credit and lending-related financial education to applicants who fall just below the bank’s credit requirements and thus unable to access traditional banking products and services. In her role, Jennings oversees direction and administration of the lending functions, programs, products and services.