The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to an individual who excels in their chosen profession, whose accomplishments positively impact society and reflect favorably upon themselves, their community and Grand Valley.

Kala Gibson has spent his career proving that financial leadership can help others and move communities forward.

As executive vice president and chief corporate responsibility officer at Fifth Third Bank, Gibson helps build the bank’s work in community development, inclusion and philanthropy. His role places him at the center of initiatives that connect financial services with real community needs, from expanding economic opportunity to supporting long-term neighborhood investment.

Gibson’s path to national leadership began at Grand Valley, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1994. He earned an MBA from Michigan State University and completed additional executive education through the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking and the Wharton Leadership Program. His career spans more than 30 years in business banking and credit administration.

At Fifth Third, Gibson has shaped programs that span far beyond traditional banking. He was instrumental in the bank’s Innovative Neighborhood Program, a place-based investment effort designed to directly support nine neighborhoods across seven states and accelerate racial equity and inclusion.

“Economic outcomes are shaped by where people live: the quality of housing, access to jobs, availability of services and strength of local institutions,” Gibson explained. “The Fifth Third Neighborhood Program was designed to address these interconnected factors through a focused, ecosystem-based model.”

The program has since surpassed its original $180 million goal, directing more than $216 million into the nine neighborhoods and helping generate $417 million in total Fifth Third-driven community investment. “What makes the program so unique is that all nine neighborhoods are moving at different pace; it’s good and positive,” Gibson said. “The program has drawn interest around the country.”

That same commitment to opportunity is reflected in Gibson’s continued work at GVSU. As a donor and director of the Grand Valley University Foundation, he supports work that opens doors for students and strengthens the university’s mission. He helped connect Grand Valley and Fifth Third Bank, and the financial institution made a nearly $2 million donation to REP4® FinLit, a financial literacy tool designed by GVSU students and launched statewide. “As an alumni, it was really a proud moment when Fifth Third said yes,” Gibson said. “What these students are doing is groundbreaking.”

Gibson’s impact is not only measured by the roles he has held, or the awards has received, but by what he has chosen to do with them. Throughout his career, he has used his leadership skills to advocate for stronger neighborhoods, greater economic opportunity and more accessible systems of support, reflecting the values of the Distinguished Alumni Award.

For more information about the GVSU Alumni Awards, visit gvsu.edu/alumni/awards.