Women in technology and the executive ranks are not uncommon today, but that wasn’t the case in the early 1980s when Cynthia ‘Cindy’ Buckler began her finance career. That didn’t stop her from rising from branch manager to executive vice president and chief information officer for the Wealth Management Division at Wells Fargo Bank.

Buckler entered a bank management training program in 1979 and climbed the ranks to the executive suite, surviving the mergers and acquisitions in the banking industry. Responsible for managing thousands of employees across the U.S. and in India, she never backed down from a challenge during her 24 years at Wells Fargo.

She took on new roles even if she wasn’t sure she could do it. She volunteered for responsibilities outside her job description, such as the diversity council.

Buckler’s grandmother, who lived to be 111 years old, may have influenced that tenacity and spunk. Buckler recalls that she wasn’t afraid of anything, cared about people and accepted everyone.

Even in retirement, Buckler is taking on new challenges and opportunities, using her talents to preserve and care for a space, The Richmond Triangle Players, that she feels is much needed.

“I don’t know anything about putting on a theatrical production,” she explains. “But what I do know is how to set the organization up for success. I have smart people around me. That helps.”

Both in their early stages of retirement, Buckler and her husband enjoy Richmond’s art and food scenes. After downsizing and selling their home, they moved closer to the city to enjoy all it has to offer.

“We love the theater and the arts,” says Buckler. We’re numbers, analytical, and techie types, so we enjoy doing things that are so different from our work.”

Meet a former bank executive and Board President of the Richmond Triangle Players, who is committed to creating a space for and giving voice to LGBTQ+ experiences, and this week’s Personality;

Occupation: Currently serving on the Board of the United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg and as Board President of the Richmond Triangle Partners.

Date and place of birth: May 11 in Abington, Pa.

Where I live now: Monument Square.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in economics and management

Family: Husband Ward; sons Tim and Kevin.

What is Richmond Triangle Players (RTP): We are a non-profit professional theater. We are nationally known for our artistic excellence and financial stability.

Mission: Richmond Triangle Players offers entertaining, thought-provoking and inspiring theater that explores identity, culture and family across sexual orientation and gender spectrums, celebrating and giving voice to the variety and complexity of LGBTQ+ experiences. We hope to uplift  hearts, open minds and advance our community’s conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion by telling stories with emotion, humor and authenticity.

When and why founded: A nonprofit, professional theater company organized in 1993, RTP delivers adventurous and entertaining theater as the leading voice in the community’s explorations of equality, identity, affection and family across sexual orientation and gender spectrums.

Founders: Michael Gooding, Steve J. Earle, Marcus Miller, Jacqui Singleton and John Knapp.

Location: RTP is the cultural anchor of the Scott’s Addition neighborhood, located at 1300 Altamont Ave.

Meaning of the name: Richmond Triangle Players references the pink triangle, a widely recognized symbol for the LGBTQ+ community. The history of the triangle is rooted in the World War II era. The pink triangle marked homosexuals imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps. Today, the pink triangle is a symbol of pride and solidarity. It represents a promise never to allow the persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals again.

How I initially got involved with Richmond Triangle Players: Many years ago, we won season tickets for RTP. We started attending the performances and have been going ever since. I knew several folks on the board, and they asked me to join.

When elected board president: 2021.

Why Richmond Triangle Players is meaningful to me: I have a strong desire to give back to my community. I have been incredibly fortunate in life, and I always knew that I wanted to do non-profit work in my retirement.

Number one goal and strategy as board president: I want to continue focusing on solid financials and determining what the future looks like for RTP as we continue to understand what place live theater has in a post-COVID world.

Biggest challenge: We continue learning what our audiences want to see in live theater versus staying home and watching Netflix.

Number one joy I have witnessed through working with Richmond Triangle Players: I have seen our audiences cry at performances, burst out laughing, gasping and unable to speak because they were personally impacted.

Ways to get involved with Richmond Triangle Players: RTP utilizes many volunteers, especially its dedicated corps of volunteer ushers. For more information, contact volunteers@rtriangle.org.

Upcoming events and details: Our new revue, “The Best of Times: A Celebration of Richmond Triangle Players,” runs through July 13. RTP will participate in Black Pride weekend on July 19 and will welcome radio show host Seth Rudetsky in “Seth’s Big Broadway Show” on Aug. 15 and 16. (Tickets at rtriangle.org)

How I start the day: My day always starts with the New York Times crossword puzzle and Wordle.

The three words that best describe me: Caring, open and sassy.

Best late-night snack: I’m not much of a late-night snacker, just an all-day snacker.

Top three on my playlist: Anything by Adele, Queen, or Aretha Franklin.

A quote that inspires me: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” Maya Angelou.

The best thing my parent(s) or guardian(s) ever taught me: Be kind.

The person who influenced me the most: My grandmother who died at the age of 111.She taught me I could do anything.

Book that influenced me the most and how: “Atomic Habits,” by James Clear.

Play that influenced me the most and how: “The Laramie Project.” The show is a stage production about how the community responded to the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a young gay man in Laramie, Wyo.

Next goal: My personal goal is to live each day to the fullest— to spend time with my family, travel and continue to focus on giving back to others.