How East West Bank was Founded due to Racism

East West Bank is the country’s Top 30th bank, the largest independent bank in Southern California, and the largest minority depositor institution in the United States. This year marks their 50th year of existence and we get to sit down with Travis Kiyota, SVP and Head of Global Corporate Affairs, to learn more about this remarkable company.

Formerly known as East West Federal Bank in the 70s, this institution was founded on the roots of racism when Asian immigrants were not allowed to open bank accounts. The founders paved the way for the community to get access to the financial services they need to be part of American society.

Now, East West Bank has grown to become a full-service commercial bank with over 120 locations serving more than just the Asian-American community while remaining committed to their principles of inclusion, diversity, and equity.

In this So Inspiring episode, we learn about the bank’s plan in further uplifting the community, how it stays relevant by engaging itself in the world of sports and arts, and tips on how to be financially ready for this new year. We also get personal with Travis as we discover why he decided to join the bank after working in a Fortune 200 company and how he now uses his position of influence to pay it forward through mentorship.

This episode is aired on #SoJannelleTV as seen on the following channels:

• Sunday, 4:30pm – 5:00pm PT (7:30pm ET) on TFC
• Monday, 6:00pm PT on KNET Channel 25.1 (Southern CA)
• Saturday, 7:30pm – 8:00pm PT (10:30pm ET) on ANC

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