Irene Esteves

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Financial services provider Regions Financial Corp. has named Irene Esteves senior executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective April 1, to replace Al Yother, who is retiring.

Esteves, 49, will lead all finance operations, including strategic planning and corporate development, business analytics, investor relations, treasury, corporate tax, management planning and reporting, accounting and control.

She also will serve as a member of the company's Executive Council, reporting to Chairman, President and Chief Executive Dowd Ritter.

Prior to joining Regions, Esteves was senior vice president and chief financial officer of Wachovia Corp.'s capital management group, and senior managing director, chief financial officer and chief of human resources at Putnam Investments.

The company said Yother, a 25-year banking veteran, is retiring from the company to give more time to his family and to ministry opportunities.

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