Staffing & Culture | 03.12.25
DE&I in Focus: A Roundup of Articles That Inspire
by: BISA Staff
March is Women’s History Month, but it also sits in the center of a string of celebrations — Black History Month in February, and Celebrate Diversity Month in April. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) is at the heart of our ever-evolving industry, as well as the work of BISA. In this roundup, dive back into these DE&I articles from the past several months.
Each year, BISA recognizes a cohort of Rising Stars who demonstrate a commitment to creating inclusive and equitable environments within our industry and communities. The 2024 cohort participated in a capstone project that identified how BISA organizations can better reach underserved communities through small business education resources. Rising Star awardee Brian McBride of Huntington Financial Advisors answered a few questions about the capstone project’s goals and results in this article.
In 2024, the BISA Black Voices Unmuted (BVU) Subcommittee launched a partnership with the FARE to support their mission of advancing inclusion within the financial services industry through education, professional development and community empowerment. As part of this partnership, BVU extended an invitation to two students — Jasmine Pierce and Imani B. Washington — to attend the BISA Annual Conference in March. Get to know these students and how they hope to shape the future of our industry in this spotlight.
Symetra, a distinguished recipient of the BISA 2024 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Award, exemplifies leadership in advancing DE&I within the financial services industry. This recognition celebrates organizations demonstrating exceptional dedication, innovation and tangible results in promoting diversity. In this interview, Symetra Bank and Wirehouse Channel Vice President Dayna Cerrone shared insights into the strategic importance of DE&I for the organization, the positive impact on their culture and operations and senior management's pivotal role in sustaining these initiatives.
In this Q&A, we sat down with Merrill Stewart, program manager at Allegacy Investment Group, to reflect on her journey as the first BISA Rising Star alum to serve on the BISA Board of Directors. She offers a unique perspective on the program’s impact on career advancement and leadership development.
For National Pride Month, author Logan Hickman shared how the financial services industry can show its commitment to serving the LGBTQ+ population. This piece also highlighted how doing so is not just a matter of corporate social responsibility, but a strategic business imperative that can drive innovation and performance.