Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At S&T Bank, we are dedicated to embracing our differences and promoting equality and inclusion by fostering a sense of value and empowerment in our employees. We are committed to leveraging the talent of our diverse workforce while creating great opportunities for our employees to thrive. We strive to ensure that our employees have equitable opportunities to learn, share ideas and grow. We support various initiatives while also providing a wide range of financial solutions to serve a broad and diverse audience.  At S&T, we foster a welcoming culture where employees work together to better the lives of our employees, customers and communities as a whole.

Visit our media center and browse video testimonials from our employees.

 

Hispanic National Heritage Month Through Tatiana’s Eyes

S&T Business Banker, Tatiana Lugo-Dominguez, reflects on the profound importance of this month to her both personally and professionally.

Celebrating the Rich Heritage Behind Hispanic National Heritage Month

S&T Bank Advisory Board Member, Melanie Marie Boyer, passionately works to amplify voices and foster a deeper understanding of her vibrant culture.

Progress is a Continual Journey

Dr. Linda Eagle, founder and president of the Global Bankers Institute and esteemed presenter on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) topics, recently sighted S&T at a Pennsylvania Bankers Association event for their dedicated DE&I work and advancements over the past few years.

 

S&T Bank Commemorates Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Webinars 2023

S&T Bank is committed to promoting equality and embracing differences in an environment that invites discussion and promotes respect.

  • January/Mental Health and Wellness

    Arden Arslanyan and Becky Wong from Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC) spoke about mental health and wellness. Arslanyan and Wong provided information about the benefits of having good mental health and ways to incorporate wellness intervention strategies.

  • February/Black History Month

    During Black History Month, a guest speaker shared information about economic issues surrounding the Black and Brown community. The presentation challenged employees to identify ways to bridge the economic gap. They were also encouraged to engage with someone of a different background over a meal as a way to build relationships, create open dialogue and learn about other cultures.

  • April/Women in Banking

    Supported by the efforts of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) team and committee members, over 225 team members and leaders attended this inaugural conference. Information was shared from a variety of panelists and speakers on topics related to professional development of women in the workplace, unique challenges women face in the workplace and the importance of fostering male support.

  • June/Why DEI

    Dr. Linda Eagle, president and co-founder of the Global Bankers Institute, spoke about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion within our organization and communities that we serve. Dr. Eagle works to increase business results through engagement, education, communication, development, growth and enrichment of employees. At S&T, we make people our purpose every day and this webinar served as an opportunity for team members to listen and further learn the why behind our DE&I efforts. This thoughtful discussion also gave us time to reflect on what motivates us to keep moving forward in the promotion of DE&I in our culture.

     

  • August/Mental Health

    The M&S Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided information on internal and external resources available to employees. Mental Health has a high impact on both personal and professional successes throughout life. Some resources included joining a book club, educational program or Employee Resource Group. Being aware and tending to our mental health leads to having better communities and work environments.

  • September/Generational Awareness

    S&T Bank’s Chief Security Officer, Kevin Dodds, and the Director of Sales Strategy and Marketing, Jordyn Kemats, presented on the differences between generations. From Gen Z, Gen Y (Millennials), Gen X, Baby Boomers and Traditionalists, each generation brings its own preference towards expectations, communication, technology and fraud. They shared data on the percentage of each of the generations represented in our workforce as well as our customer base and shared resources on the Employee Assistance Program and Fraud assistance. This webinar reinforced the importance of keeping an open mind, exercising compassion and patience when interacting with individuals from different generations.

  • November/Invisible Disabilities

    Dr. Lisa Price, professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, provided a better understanding and opportunity for dialogue surrounding the topic of invisible disabilities. Employees were able to reflect on assumptions and learn about common misconceptions that occur in this community as these disability may not be quickly noticeable. Ideas to support customers and employees with invisible disabilities were given so we can value every voice.

  • December/Men and Mental Health

    Dion Chavis, renowned radio professional and accomplished author, spoke on Unmasking Strength: redefining resilience in men’s mental health. The presentation offered insights in combatting stigma, navigating emotional expression and building a support system. Attendees were given education, resources and empowered to use the tools provided.

Chris McComish, CEO

“Our differences are not obstacles, but rather opportunities for learning, growth, and expanded perspective.”

S&T Bank cultivates a welcoming environment that houses a diverse workforce which is constantly evolving for the betterment of our employees, customers, shareholders, and community. We have an obligation to listen, adapt and act with purpose to achieve and maintain an inclusive and equitable atmosphere.  We collectively promote unity, understanding, and cooperation across the organization.

We encourage open dialogue and discussion through training and education, as well as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) surveys to our colleagues that provide an opportunity to listen and act. We support initiatives such as the First Time Homebuyer program and financial wellness programs to provide financial education and solutions to a broad audience.  Our Community Reinvestment Act efforts, and Fair Lending standards promote financial opportunity for individuals across our footprint.

Offering Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) at S&T provides another avenue for dialogue, learning, and volunteering to help veterans, individuals with disabilities, and those in need across our local communities.  Additionally, our leadership ERG offers guidance in hiring, employee development, promotions, mentoring and volunteer opportunities to empower our current and future leaders.

At S&T, we will always endeavor to do better and to be better. We are people focused and are rooted in trust. We continuously strive to embody the values we hold dear and have the utmost respect for all people whom we encounter or do business with. We recognize that each person has a unique story and background, and that diversity of perspective is critical to our success.

Our differences are not obstacles, but rather opportunities for learning, growth, and expanded perspective.

Best regards,
Chris

Genevieve G. Oduor, Diversity Relationship Officer

“I have been blessed to work for such an amazing organization and I want to see more people from diverse backgrounds like myself enjoy the same opportunities.”

In my community engagement and involvement efforts, I see how vital it is for organizations to reflect the communities that they serve; as well as; the importance of companies working to create an inclusive environment where everyone thrives. I have been blessed to work for such an amazing organization and I want to see more people from diverse backgrounds like myself enjoy the same opportunities.

For several years now, I have provided financial literacy education to students, minority small business owners and individuals. I realize that many do not have access to proper tools that can help them succeed financially. Helping others access these tools and education quickly became a passion of mine and my belief is that financially healthy individuals and businesses create strong customers and communities.

I share my passion with S&T leadership about how we can move our organization forward towards more Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I).  We are making progress by conducting various DE&I initiatives that allow us to create a more diverse and inclusive environment as well as connect us at a deeper level with the communities that we serve as we expand into new markets.

The challenging events of 2020 and 2021 created a renewed focus on ensuring that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are a top focus both nationally and globally. An opportunity arose and a new position was created in the summer of 2021 for me to work in collaboration with the employee services leadership and line of business partners to support DE&I strategies and initiatives for our organization. Since then, we have conducted various DE&I educational webinars for our employees, connected with our advisory boards to share our vision and solicit their support to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce, examined opportunities to work with our market leadership to help create a more diverse advisory board, created a DE&I internal committee with the support of our CEO, Chris McComish as the initiative sponsor and much more.

Through employee education, board education and development, community outreach and financial education and the examination of our hiring practices, we are working together to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive organization that reflects the distinct communities in our operational footprint. Our differences are our strength. Together we make progress as a team and for our communities as a whole.

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” – Henry Ford

Susie Nicholson, Chief Human Resources Officer

“By opening a dialogue and positioning the conversations in safe and open forums with a basis of education, we can collectively appreciate and learn in an inclusive manner.”

For 2023, S&T plans to launch our new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion scholarship program whereby (5)- $1,000.00 scholarships will be awarded in June 2023. Selected individuals will be awarded the scholarships based on their desire and interest to pursue a college degree in a business-related field with a strong interest to build a lasting career in the Banking industry.  This is the Bank’s commitment to building a stronger future in the financial services industry in communities of the currently underserved.

I believe that our 2022 S&T Commemorates Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) series was one of the most impactful efforts at the Bank from a multi-dimensional cultural, inclusive and business perspective. The viewership, participation and feedback related to the 2022 S&T Commemorates webinar series was incredible, thanks to all of our employees who expressed interest in new subject matter and education related to a variety of topics. We shared education and discussion on Black History Month, Women’s History, and the topics also included Asian Pacific Islander Heritage which I had the honor of sponsoring. Thank you to the nearly 170 employees that participated in this session. University of Pittsburgh’s, Dr. Cook, offered background related to the geography, culture and rich history of the entire Asian and Pacific region. All of these topics further our interest and planning around DE&I in addition to building upon our rich history of talent development.

In 2021, we conducted two DE&I webinars, including a Juneteenth presentation by Oronde Sharif from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Hispanic Heritage Month Presentation by Melanie Malloy Boyer from the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

S&T Bank Commemorates Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Webinars 2022

In 2022, we offered the following webinars to virtually engage presenters and employees in open dialogue and safe conversations regarding the celebration of cultural, educational and inclusive practices:

  • February/Black History

    Former President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, Esther Bush, led this exploration of Black history in the United States.

  • March/Women’s History

    Dr. Angela Reynolds reviewed the importance of Women’s history in the past, present and future. Reynolds serves as chief CEO of the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh.

  • May/Asian Heritage

    Associate Director of the Asian Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. James Cook, shared information regarding cultural differences, economies and history of the Asia diaspora. Cook helps direct a U.S. Department of Education National Resource Center on East Asia.

  • June/Embracing Abilities

    MaryAnn Shaw and Julie Crusciel discussed disabilities. They covered basic etiquette, history and appropriate terminology. Shaw has a master’s degree in Special Education and Educational Leadership while Crusciel spoke of  parenting of a child who inspires others to see the world from a new perspective.

  • August/Military Awareness

    Chief Petty Officer, Charles DeSabato, provided background around military service. DeSabato is currently serving as the Commander of the Federation of War Veterans of Allegheny County; as well as, Deputy Commander of the 33rd District Department of the Pennsylvania American Legion.

  • October/LBGTQ+

    Harry Young (he/him), presented information on LGBTQ+ awareness, history and inclusive practices. Young serves as the executive director for the Keystone Business Alliance, Central PA’s LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce.

  • December/Native American Awareness

    Krisa Sprangler of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe in Franklin County, NY, commemorated Native American Heritage Month by speaking about customs, history, languages and tribes. The Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center is active in the preservation of Native American culture.

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