Xiomara Arroyo first discovered the power of service while rebuilding a fence as a Habitat for Humanity volunteer. “I was so fascinated by what they were doing and how volunteers were making things happen,” recalled Xiomara. “The more fascinated I became, the more I researched the organization. And the more I researched the organization, the more I became involved. Before I knew it, I was invited to sit on their Board of Directors.”
That was a decade ago. Today, Xiomara is continuing to discover the power of service as a San Diego Foundation (SDF) Board of Governors member.
“The people who serve at the Foundation have a really good heart,” Xiomara said. “They are not there for self-serving reasons. We continue to be a leader for change, and we hold people accountable for making decisions that benefit our neighborhoods and communities.”
Rooted in Family
Xiomara’s drive comes from her upbringing. Her parents came from modest beginnings. Her father immigrated from Zacatecas, Mexico, and both worked blue-collar jobs and were grateful for they had. It was her father’s determination to save as much as he could, and invest what he saved, that impacted her decision to pursue a career in the financial services industry.
“My dad started out as a trash truck driver in San Bernardino, invested in a rental, invested equity from that rental to purchase several other properties, and then bought ten-and-a-half acres Fallbrook and built my mom her dream house.”
Her father, Xiomara explained, later expanded his investment to include some 90 acres in Fallbrook and Rainbow, on which he built a burgeoning nursery business. He was able to retire at age 55.
“When you have a dad who came to this country with nothing and made something of himself, you have a role model to follow,” she said. “I wanted to work at a bank because I wanted to help people save the way I saw my father save and how it changed his life and the lives of those in his family.”
Xiomara’s career started simply enough: she walked into a Wells Fargo branch when she was in college and asked for a job as a teller. Nearly 17 years later, she left the company as a Vice President and Foundation Manager for an opportunity to serve as a Senior Vice President at PNC, where she now oversees a division that collaborates with business HR teams in developing employee benefit packages ranging from financial wellness services to student debt solutions.
Among the lessons she learned along the way: “When people tell you they believe in you, believe them. When people tell you to reach out if you need anything, reach out when you need something. It’s important to build relationships, and people who tell you they believe in you and tell you to reach out if you need anything are people you want to build relationships with.”
Community Involvement
Xiomara’s community involvement isn’t limited to SDF. In addition to serving as board chair at San Diego Habitat for Humanity, Xiomara served on the President’s Advisory Council at California State University, San Marcos, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business management (Xiomara also holds an Executive MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management). Dedication to her volunteer work has led to numerous honors, including the NAACP Distinguished Woman of Color Award, the Urban League of San Diego’s Whitney M. Young Diversity & Equity Award, and recognition by San Diego Magazine as a San Diego Woman of the Year finalist.
“People sacrificed for me to allow me to be here,” Xiomara says. “I owe it to others, and to myself, to do that for others.”
Xiomara says she was inspired to become involved with SDF while witnessing the organization’s response to the covid pandemic and the COVID-19 Community Response Fund. “I really was impressed by how they were able to rally so many people and so many organizations. I really respected their drive to do good and to motivate others to join them in that commitment.”
Her advice to future board members: “Go all in. Show up. Be confident with what you can contribute. Support the vision. But most of all, be there for the community.”
