BATON ROUGE, LA. – May 12, 2025 – The Network of Women Employee Resource Group at Pathward®, N.A. announced the winner of the 2025 Empowering Women Award, and this year’s recipient is Cheryl Kirk. Kirk is a Client Analyst Manager on Pathward’s Commercial Finance team.
Pathward’s Network of Women created the Empowering Women Award to recognize employees like Kirk who demonstrate extraordinary commitment to embodying the group's mission. These individuals uplift future generations in their professional and personal lives. They foster a safe space, promote community and help others grow. The group gathers nominations from employees, then selects an annual winner.
Kirk played softball and basketball as a kid and went on to play basketball at Louisiana State University on the university’s inaugural women’s basketball team. She earned a teaching degree at LSU and went on to teach for 10 years before joining Pathward, formerly Crestmark, 17 years ago. A breast cancer survivor, Cheryl approached cancer with the tenacity and positivity that she brings to work every day and that she brought to the basketball court and classroom.
Through the decades, she witnessed the role of women in the workplace evolve and today encourages her team to try new challenges outside of their comfort zone.
Kirk shared, “I have seen generations evolve consistently, and women have moved up and moved up and moved up. We need women to get out of the box and get out there and show that they are successful. I push my people to do something different. If there is a project going on and they need a volunteer, volunteer for that project. If you think you can’t do it, you can do it.”
Here is what some of Kirk’s colleagues had to say about her:
“Cheryl is our biggest cheerleader, and she knows what we go through day-to-day because she has done the job. All she wants for us is success. She will bend over backwards to help us and give us what we need to thrive in our position.”
“I enjoy showing up. I enjoy talking to my boss (Cheryl). If I succeed at something, she is the loudest one who is cheering and clapping. It is just wonderful to have her support. She truly is the best.”
“Cheryl is an exceptional leader whose guidance and support have had a great impact on both my professional and personal growth. She has created an environment where I have felt encouraged to take on new challenges and develop my skills with confidence. Cheryl is a strong example of a successful woman in not only her career, but in her investment in other women, whether they be in the workplace, or her dedication to her family.”
Network of Women’s mission is to empower women throughout Pathward who are seeking professional and personal growth, and to encourage inclusion in the workplace and in our communities at large. Any employee at Pathward is invited to join the group, which now boasts more than 200 members, and/or any of Pathward’s six ERGs. Employee Resource Groups are one way that Pathward facilitates intentional connections for employees so they can have a sense of belonging.
Learn more about Pathward’s Employee Resource Groups and more in the 2024 Sustainability Report .
You are leaving a Pathward website and will be going to a website that Pathward does not control. Pathward has provided this link for your convenience, but does not endorse and is not responsible for the content, links, privacy policy, or security policy of this website.