Delta Dental of Arizona, 5656 W. Talavi Blvd. Glendale, announces Candace Hunter Wiest, president and CEO at West Valley Bancorp Inc. and West Valley National Bank, has been named the chairman of the dental insurance company’s corporate board of directors. Ms. Wiest has been on the Delta Dental of Arizona board since 2014 and previously held roles on their compensation, finance and strategy committees.

Ms. Wiest’s career path has been unconventional. She married at 17, had three children by age 21, and when the youngest child was a few weeks old, she became the family’s sole provider. After spending time in the hospitality and insurance industries, she joined her first bank in 1986 as a loan clerk. In 2018, Ms. Wiest celebrated her 25th anniversary as a CEO.

Ms. Wiest believes that community commitment is the cornerstone of community banking. In addition to her role on the Delta Dental board, she currently she serves as a director of West Valley National Bank and West Valley Bancorp, a director and the secretary of Cancer Treatment Center of America at Western Regional Medical Center.

“Candace’s business acumen and risk management experience are remarkable assets to the organization and I could not be more thrilled to work alongside her,” said Allan Allford, president/CEO of Delta Dental of Arizona. “Candace’s guidance will better position Delta Dental of Arizona in the marketplace as we continue to optimize business operations and pursue new opportunities to promote optimal oral health.”

Ms. Wiest’s recent recognitions include being named as one of “100 Women to Watch” nationally in 2017 by Biz Women; a 2017 “Trendsetter” by Trends Charities and Trends publications; Forbes 2017 “Women Leaders of the West”; an Executive Fellow by the School of Business @UCR in 2018; a 2018 industry leader by AZ Big Magazine, and the NACD Fellow designation for the past two years. Past recognition includes a commendation from Congressman Paul Gosar for economic development efforts and job creation; listed as one of the AZ Biz Magazine’s “Arizona Business Leaders” from 2010 to 2019; a 2016 “Outstanding Woman in Business” from the Phoenix Business Journal; being named as one of the “50 Most Influential Women in Arizona” by AZ Business Magazine; recipient of the WESTMARC Leadership Award; recipient of the Athena award; named as one of the “Most Admired CEOs” by the Phoenix Business Journal’ named as the West Valley Woman of the Year; and was awarded the international Stevie Award for Best Executive.

Visit www.deltadentalaz.com.