Two Arkansas financial technology firms have been named to American Banker’s list of the ‘Best Fintechs to Work For’ in 2021.
Little Rock-based Smiley Technologies and Springdale-based Teslar Software were chosen for list, which featured 49 companies in total. Now in its fourth year, the Best Fintechs to Work For list looks at fintech companies’ policies, practices and employee experiences.
This is the first year at any Arkansas-based fintechs have made American Banker’s list since it was introduced in 2018.
Smiley Technologies was named the second-best fintech to work for in the United States. This is the latest award for the company, which provides core banking services for community banks, including being named to Forbes Next 1000 list in 2021 and being a Forbes Small Giant in 2020.
“We are thrilled to be one of the Best Places to Work in Financial Technology,” CEO Elizabeth Glasbrenner said in a statement. “Our team at Smiley Technologies is what makes it so great to work here. We are very intentional on creating a culture where people’s voices can be heard and employees have the ability to thrive.”
Teslar Software, which provides portfolio management tools for community banks, earned the no. 21 spot on American Banker’s list.
“Teslar Software provides a fulfilling professional experience combined with an enjoyable employee experience; the company is deeply invested in our professional development and fosters a culture where all employees feel encouraged to speak up,” Rachael Carter, vice president of client advocacy at Teslar Software, said. “We have a family-style environment and every one of our team members is passionate about providing our customers with the technology they need to help the individuals and businesses in their communities thrive.
While this is the first year that an Arkansas-based fintech has received a spot on the list, one company with Arkansas ties has made the list multiple times, including in 2021.Bank OZK Innovation Labs, a division of Bank OZK based in St. Petersburg, Fla., has made the American Banker list three times. It was no. 33 in 2019, no. 24 in 2020, and no. 29 in 2021.
According to American Banker, the Best Fintechs to Work For list was determined by a two-part process that companies completed. The first part was an independent evaluation of each company, which examined policies, practices and demographics, and this accounted for 25 percent of each companies’ evaluation score. The second part was an employee survey that looked at employee experiences, and this accounted for 75 percent of the evaluation.
The combined score from both parts of the evaluation determined companies’ inclusion on the list, as well as their rankings.
READ MORE: Elizabeth Glasbrenner Leads Smiley Technologies to New Heights
