Bank of the West's Kirsten Garen and Jenny Flores among "San Francisco Business Times'" Bay Area 2016 Most Influential Women in Business

SAN FRANCISCO, May 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of the West announced today that two members of its leadership team – Kirsten Garen, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer and Jenny Flores, Senior Vice President, Head of Community Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility, have been named by the San Francisco Business Times to its annual Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business list. The list features women in business representing a wide array of industries, including real estate, law, technology, retail, healthcare, finance, insurance and education in the Bay Area who have made extraordinary leaps for their organizations and the community- at- large. The awards will be presented at the publication's annual recognition celebration event on June 16, 2016.

"We are extremely proud of Kirsten and Jenny, who bring extraordinary expertise and leadership to Bank of the West," said Michael Shepherd, Bank of the West CEO and President. "Their insight and leadership help to elevate the Bank of the West brand and this recognition is well deserved."

Garen, a financial services industry veteran, has been with Bank of the West since 2011 in the role of Chief Information Officer where she leads a team of dedicated professionals responsible for the bank's technology capabilities. Under her leadership, Bank of the West is better able to anticipate customers' needs and offer faster turn-key solutions, which allows them to interact with us based on their preferences on multiple technology platforms. Garen was also among those recognized in San Francisco Business Times's 2015 Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business and received the San Francisco Business Times top honor of "CIO of the Year" in 2014.

Flores, head of Community Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility for Bank of the West, manages the bank's corporate philanthropy programs and leads a national team dedicated to partnering with nonprofit and community entities to support long-term economic growth in the bank's footprint. Since joining Bank of the West in 2013, Flores has supported a cross-sector approach to community partnerships, with the goal of leveraging expertise across industries and maximizing program impact, particularly in the areas of financial education, workforce development, small business development, and affordable housing.

Finalists were selected by a panel of judges based on their accomplishments and involvement in the community through a nomination process.

About Bank of the West:

Bank of the West is a regional financial services company chartered in California and headquartered in San Francisco with $75.7 billion in assets as of December 31, 2015. Founded in 1874, Bank of the West provides a wide range of personal, commercial, wealth management and international banking services through more than 600 offices in 22 states and digital channels.  Bank of the West is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, which has a presence in 75 countries with 185,000 employees.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150226/178001LOGO

SOURCE Bank of the West

Related Links

http://www.bankofthewest.com