About the Rankings
In 2003 American Banker magazine identified the industry's leading women, leaders who stood out for their "varying management styles and ways of generating increased shareholder value, brand equity and bottom-line performance." These 25 women were found to "personify power, business savvy and creative intelligence" and named The 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking. The goal of the ranking was to "pay tribute to the executives whose contributions to their institutions and communities are most profound."
Since then, the ranking has grown beyond a single magazine issue into a year-round community that not only recognizes the most powerful women in banking, but also The 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance, the Top Banking Teams and individuals recognized for their Lifetime Achievements in banking. The mission has also expanded beyond paying tribute to those women on the list, The 25 Most Powerful is now a community committed to fostering women's professional development, career advancement and peer-to-peer networking
Each year the program includes The 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking rankings and awards gala, The Mentor Factor career development forums, and the National Leadership Workshop. Year round all women in financial services can connect and pursue these goals via The Inner Circle, an online professional networking site for women in financial services.
The 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking rankings are a combined effort that encompasses many editors at SourceMedia, particularly the editors of American Banker magazine, the American Banker newspaper and Bank Technology News. The program has also garnered the support of many long-time industry sponsors and big bank CEOs who recognize the importance of recognizing womens' achievements as a step along the path of achieving gender equity in the ranks of senior management in financial services.
