“In STRIPES, my unwavering commitment statement was “I am a relentless innovator, striving for efficiency and accountability.” Or, as my team likes to say, “You’ve got to set the tone!”

For Rick Dierks, regional sales manager and vice president at Arvest Equipment Finance (AEF), financing a piece of equipment is never just about paperwork—it is about fueling the business growth that creates local jobs and strengthens the communities. This community-focused perspective has remained his core driver since entering the field, rooted in a genuine passion for helping businesses achieve their goals and thrive.

Over the past year, Dierks’s commitment to innovation was on full display as he spearheaded the creation of a new buy/sell desk at AEF, an initiative he launched as part of his capstone project in STRIPES Leadership Program. Navigating a complex landscape of operational, compliance and legal challenges, he successfully onboarded three initial partners. His approach to problem-solving is straightforward: be relentless and keep the conversation going. Dierks believes solutions often fail not because they do not exist, but because dialogue ends too soon.

Dierks describes his leadership style as passionate, direct and competitive. While he values the efficiency of blunt honesty, he balances that approach with a lead-by-example mentality that helps set the tone for his colleagues. He places a high value on everyone’s time and is equally focused on helping others succeed in their roles as he is on excelling in his own. Fueled by an innate competitiveness, the Certified Lease & Finance Professional and STRIPES graduate rejects managing from a distance in favor of staying in the trenches alongside his team — remaining plugged in and continuously learning.