The Rotary Mid-Isle Club selected Cynthia Arnold, vice president of Operations at Diageo USVI, as its 2025 Person of the Year during a gala event at Teddys @ 5 Corners earlier this month.
According to Jacqueline Heyliger, Mid Isle Rotary president, Arnold was the overwhelming favorite to win the award even though she is not a Rotarian.
“A proud Virgin Islander and quiet force for good, Ms. Arnold exemplifies the spirit of visionary leadership, community partnership and has deepened the company’s commitment to community partnership to St. Croix and across the Virgin Islands,” Heyliger said.
The event included a sit-down dinner enjoyed by elegantly dressed Rotarians and guests and members of Arnold’s family, who presented her with flowers and spoke about her accomplishments.
Heyliger and Willard John, former president, presented the award as well as a certificate naming her a Paul Harris Fellow — an honor for exemplary service and a substantial donation to the Rotary Foundation.
Arnold began her career at Diageo in 2011 as finance manager and in 2017 transitioned to operations, eventually serving as vice president. She led a team that eventually earned a coveted safety award from Diageo North America Supply.
As chair of the Donations and Sponsorship Committee for Diageo, Arnold oversees community investments. Diageo supports more than 30 local charities.
Arnold was born on St. Croix and earned a B.S. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a master’s in business administration from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Previous employment includes Unemployment Insurance director at the V.I. Labor Department and financial analyst at the V.I. Public Finance Authority. She also held managerial positions at Bank of America and Delta Air Lines.
