SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 09, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teresa Bryce Bazemore, president and CEO of Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco), accepted the “2023 Financial Woman of the Year” award from Financial Women of San Francisco on Tuesday, Nov. 7. Announced in April this year, the honor was formally bestowed at a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero, and the event provided an opportunity for Bazemore to share her professional journey and leadership perspectives in a fireside chat with guest moderator Nandita Bakhshi, a special advisor and board member at BMO Financial Group and the former CEO of Bank of the West.
Financial Women of San Francisco recognized Bazemore for her career-long dedication to “strengthening communities and making a difference in peoples’ lives.” For more than 30 years, Bazemore has worked to ensure individuals and families—particularly low-to-moderate-income people and people of color—have a place to call home and have an opportunity to build wealth through homeownership.
“We congratulate Teresa on her well-deserved recognition from Financial Women of San Francisco,” said Greg Ward, chief operating officer of FHLBank San Francisco. “She is an inspiration to us each day through both her unwavering commitment to our organization’s mission and her dedication to bringing about meaningful systemic change. She is a true role model in the finance industry—not just for women but for all professionals.”
Appointed to her current role at FHLBank San Francisco in 2021, Bazemore has steadfastly pursued the Bank’s mission to provide its members with reliable access to low-cost liquidity, essential financial services and expertise, and resources for affordable housing and economic development—all in an effort to make the Arizona, California, and Nevada communities the Bank and its members collectively serve more vibrant, equitable, and resilient. Concurrently, she has spearheaded numerous initiatives to close the racial gap in homeownership and bring about systemic change, including establishing the Racial Equity Accelerator in partnership with Urban Institute and launching the Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant pilot program.
During the award luncheon, Bazemore shared key moments that shaped her career, her priorities, and her leadership approach. She touched on her tenure at Radian Guaranty, a mortgage insurer, during the 2008 financial crisis, which drove a heightened focus on credit risk. Additionally, the organization was an early champion of lowering downpayment requirements on conventional mortgages, which has helped to bring homeownership within reach for more Americans.
Bazemore and Bakhshi spoke to the important role that strong female role models and mentorship play in career development, reinforcing how being active in trade and networking organizations, like FWSF, can help women in the industry advance their careers. “We all have the ability to make a difference for others,” said Denise Rigli, president of Financial Women of San Francisco. “Mentors like Teresa and scholarships offered by Financial Women of San Francisco pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future for the finance industry. Together, we are building a legacy of opportunity, equity, and belonging.”
Financial Women of San Francisco serves to advance the success of women in finance in the Bay Area and established the Financial Woman of the Year award in 1996 as a celebration of its 40th anniversary. Through its annual luncheon event, the organization honors women with exceptional leadership careers in finance while also raising funds for its FWSF Scholarship Fund (a 501(c)3 nonprofit) for college women in the Bay Area and increasing overall awareness of its purpose and mission. The event serves as a platform for high-achieving honorees, such as Bazemore, to share their experiences and inspire other women in their own careers and ambitions.
About the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco
The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative that helps lenders in Arizona, California, and Nevada build strong communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our members — commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions — propel homeownership, finance quality affordable housing, boost economic vitality, and revitalize neighborhoods. Together with our members and other partners, we make the communities we serve more vibrant, equitable, and resilient.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b56872eb-683e-4edf-815e-e1027050832e
