HOUSTON, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BBVA USA recently announced the formation of its third Business Resource Group (BRG), this one in support of Black and African-American employees.
The announcement was made during the bank's first Conversations in Diversity: Black Voices panel discussion, moderated by Chief Talent & Culture Executive Rosilyn Houston and featuring Birmingham District Retail Executive Eveitt Payne, Business Banking Relationship Manager Jamar Johnson, Regional Commercial Industry Specialist Nick Warner, and Director of Software Engineering Martha Underwood. The panel is a continuation of the bank's One Team Talks, which were designed for team members to share their personal experiences and build bonds of compassion, respect and trust.
"These types of conversations are important, especially right now, to create a deeper understanding and support one another in the midst of a global pandemic and a divided nation," said BBVA USA CEO Javier Rodríguez Soler, who also serves as global executive sponsor for BBVA's Workplace Diversity and Inclusion strategy. "This panel is just one way we are creating opportunities for team members to bring their full selves to work and connect with one another more deeply."
The panelists, who spoke about their personal experiences with prejudice, racism and microaggressions in the workplace, also recognized the importance of celebrating Black History Month and recognizing Black and African Americans who have made significant contributions to the U.S. and the world.
"My blackness can't be hidden. It's not a choice I get to make. In fact, it's often the first thing people notice about me," said Warner. "And the stereotypes—about my intelligence, my work ethic, my character—that come with the color of my skin mean that I have to work even harder to leave the impression that I'm a great banker."
The introduction of the Black and African-American BRG comes nearly five months after the establishment of the bank's LGBTQ BRG and underpins BBVA's often-recognized Workplace Diversity and Inclusion efforts. The bank's first BRG, Women in Leadership, was introduced in 2018 and has now grown to more than 600 women and men across four chapters within the bank's U.S. footprint.
Learn more about BBVA's Diversity and Inclusion efforts here.
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BBVA Group
BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a strong leadership position in the Spanish market, is the largest financial institution in Mexico, it has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States. It is also the leading shareholder in Turkey's Garanti BBVA. Its purpose is to bring the age of opportunities to everyone, based on our customers' real needs: provide the best solutions, helping them make the best financial decisions, through an easy and convenient experience. The institution rests in solid values: Customer comes first, we think big and we are one team. Its responsible banking model aspires to achieve a more inclusive and sustainable society.
BBVA USA
In the U.S., BBVA is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates 641 branches, including 330 in Texas, 89 in Alabama, 63 in Arizona, 61 in California, 44 in Florida, 37 in Colorado and 17 in New Mexico. The bank ranks among the top 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Alabama (2nd), Texas (4th) and Arizona (6th). In the U.S., BBVA has been recognized as one of the leading small business lenders by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and ranked 8th nationally in terms of dollar volume of SBA loans originated in fiscal year 2018.
SOURCE BBVA USA
