Fifth Third’s Byna Elliott and Stephanie Smith Recognized Among Most Influential Women in Corporate America
CINCINNATI, August 13, 2019 /3BL Media/ –Byna Elliott, senior vice president and chief community and economic development officer, and Stephanie Smith, chief diversity and inclusion officer, Fifth Third Bank, have been named to Savoy Magazine’s 2019 list of the Most Influential Women in Corporate America.
“I am proud of Byna Elliott and Stephanie Smith who exemplify the leadership and commitment at Fifth Third to drive change in our communities for all stakeholders,” said Bob Shaffer, Chief Human Resources Officer, Fifth Third Bank. “We work together to ensure we are doing what is right for the people we serve, as well as for our talented employees who make Fifth Third a such a great place to work.”
Elliott oversees the company’s $32 billion, five-year Community Commitment. It encompasses investments across Fifth Third’s 10-state footprint in the areas of mortgage, small business and community development. Smith is responsible for developing and executing an ecosystem of inclusion that promotes engagement among all the Bank’s stakeholders, including employees, suppliers and customers.
Elliott and Smith said they feel humbled by the recognition and noted its broader significance.
“This honor is the latest reminder that business successes are directly tied to the diversity of talent that their leaders bring,” said Elliott.
Smith added: “Companies that are creating an inclusive environment where men and women have equitable opportunity to belong, to contribute and to advance are leading the way to creating a better world around us.”
Elliott is a community reinvestment professional with more than 20 years of experience, including five years of administering all aspects of consumer compliance programs and Community Reinvestment Act initiatives. She began her career at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in the U.S. Department of Treasury in 1993 and moved into the financial services industry in 1998. She is a board member for City Connect, the Association Enterprise Opportunity, State of Michigan Habitat for Humanity, the Wayne County Development Entity and the Woodstock Institute (Chicago). She also is a task force member for the Detroit Neighborhood Forum. Elliott is affiliated with Delta Sigma Theta, Links, and the Executive Leadership Council. She is trustee emeritus for St. Joseph Mercy Oakland and the Eastern Michigan University Foundation.
Smith has worked for Fifth Third for 21 years, with a career that includes roles at the Fifth Third Foundation and in commercial banking, business banking, and community and economic development. From 2015 through the beginning of 2019, she served as Fifth Third’s director of supplier diversity. In that role, she facilitated opportunities for qualified, diverse suppliers to compete equitably, which led to a significant increase by Fifth Third in spending with diverse suppliers. Under Smith’s leadership, Fifth Third also established relationships with the National Minority Supplier Development Council, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. In 2018, the Supplier Diversity Program was recognized by Minority Business News as one of the Best of the Decade; by Diversity Plus Magazine for Smith’s accomplishments in directing supplier diversity initiatives; and by WBENC as one of America’s Top Corporations.
For more information regarding the Savoy Most Influential Women in Corporate America, visit SavoyNetwork.com. There, readers can view the 2019 Most Influential Women in Corporate America full list along with individual profiles of each executive.
About Fifth Third
Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio and the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, an Ohio-chartered bank. As of June 30, 2019, Fifth Third had $169 billion in assets and operated 1,207 full-service Banking Centers and 2,551 ATMs with Fifth Third branding in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina. In total, Fifth Third provides its customers with access to approximately 53,000 fee-free ATMs across the United States. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending and Wealth & Asset Management. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of June 30, 2019, had $399 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $46 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations through its Trust and Registered Investment Advisory businesses. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Fifth Third Bank was established in 1858. Deposit and Credit products are offered by Fifth Third Bank. Member FDIC.
About Savoy Magazine
Savoy Magazine is a national publication covering the power, substance and style of African American lifestyle. From entertainment to sports, business to politics, design to style, Savoy is a cultural catalyst for the African-American community that showcases and drives positive dialogue on and about Black culture. Savoy is published quarterly and distributed via subscriptions and newsstands worldwide. To learn more about Savoy Magazine, please visit www.savoynetwork.com.
