Photo courtesy of Berkshire Bank

Less than a month after Berkshire Bank’s CEO stepped down, a prominent executive who led efforts to make the bank a leading voice on social justice issues has left as well.

Malia Lazu, the bank’s executive vice president and chief experience and culture officer, will leave Berkshire Bank effective today “to expand her work building more diverse, inclusive and prosperous companies and communities,” according to a statement from the bank.

“On behalf of the bank, I want to thank Malia for her significant contributions,” Sean Gray, acting president and CEO, said in the statement. “Malia was instrumental in helping to build the foundation of our Be FIRST culture and in moving forward Reevx Labs into diverse communities to help underserved individuals and small businesses access services and capital. The bank remains committed to these important initiatives and to our high-performing culture that fosters diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Known for her work as a community organizer, Lazu worked with Berkshire Bank as an outside consultant on diversity and inclusion initiatives. She was then hired by ex-CEO Richard Marotta in July 2019 to oversee the bank’s diversity and inclusion work, including the implementation of its Be FIRST initiative and its corporate social responsibility efforts.

Earlier this year, Lazu was named regional president for Berkshire Bank, overseeing the Boston region, the only woman of color on the bank’s senior leadership team. She was also an advisor to the Corporate Responsibility and Culture Committee of the board of directors and coordinated with the executive director of the Berkshire Bank Foundation. Lazu was also active this year in Berkshire Bank’s efforts to help small business owners of color gain access to the Paycheck Protection Program, and she hosted through Reevx Labs a series of online townhall meetings addressing racism.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity I have had to help make diversity and inclusion a fundamental part of Berkshire Bank’s mission and strategy, both internally and in the communities it serves,” Lazu said. “Having seen the tremendous opportunity first-hand, I am eager to scale my work within industry to address the pressing problems – and opportunities – around diversity, equity and inclusion that face our communities and country today.”

The bank said in its statement that it would build on “its momentum under Ms. Lazu’s leadership on these important initiatives.”

Berkshire said it has brought on an outside consultant that has expertise in diversity, equity and inclusion work. This consultant will work with Berkshire’s leadership and board to enhance the bank’s organizational structure and accountability around its DEI strategies and establish trusting partnerships with diverse audiences both within the bank and in the communities it serves.

The personnel move comes as Berkshire grapples with tough quarterly earnings numbers, which included a $554 million write-off of goodwill built up by previous mergers.