Out in Finance Appoints John Bankhurst as President
Co-Founder Dru Holmquist to serve as Chairperson Emeritus
Chicago, IL – January 31, 2024 – The Board of Directors of Out in Finance, a community and advocacy for LGBTQ financial services professionals, is excited to announce leadership transitions to allow for the continued growth of the organization. The Board unanimously elected John Bankhurst, Business Development Director at global talent firm Korn Ferry in Chicago and former Out in Finance board member, to the role of President. John assumes the role from Dru Holmquist, co-founder and the first President of Out in Finance.
“I am so honored to take on this position and immensely grateful for the vision, energy, and dedication that Dru Holmquist gave to Out in Finance over the last four years,” said John Bankurst. “I look forward to enabling Out in Finance to scale for growth and working closely with our extraordinarily talented and dedicated leadership team to expand our reach to better advocate for LGBTQ+ professionals in the finance community,” continued Bankhurst.
Dru Holmquist, a Consulting Principal at investment management industry research and consulting firm Cutter Associates, will remain actively involved in Out in Finance as Founder and Chairperson Emeritus.
“I’m proud to pass the leadership torch to John and welcome him as the organization’s next President,” said Dru Holmquist. “It’s hard to believe that what started as a vision and my personal passion over four years ago has evolved into a nationwide advocacy organization of over 2,300 members and 50 corporate partners across the U.S.”
Out in Finance has experienced significant growth over the last few years, with a rapidly expanding membership base and a growing number of social, educational, and philanthropic events held in key financial centers around the U.S. Out in Finance is looking forward to expanding its in-person programming to additional cities in 2024 and beyond.
The leadership team for Out In Finance includes President John Bankhurst, Vice President Riti Sobilo, Treasurer Chris Haner, Secretary Paige LaCour, Director of Programming Eric Krull, Director of Partnerships Michael Maldonado, Director of Technology Jovan Marconi, Director of Strategy Daniel Higgins Clegg, and Director of Membership Dustin Rigsby.
About Out in Finance
Out in Finance, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit, provides finance professionals within the LGBTQ+ community a place to collaborate, network, and create a more inclusive corporate culture across Chicago. The mission of Out in Finance is to unite individuals across the financial services industry to drive LGTBQ+ inclusion and equality. We advocate to advance workplace policies across the industry; collaborate with firms on events and engage with the community; and provide a networking forum for LGBTQ+ financial services professionals. Our vision is for the financial services industry to be a trusted industry of choice for LGBTQ+ professionals, where they feel safe to be authentic, and are equally included at all levels of an organization. For additional information, please visit www.outinfinance.org. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
Media Contact
social@outinfinance.org