Women have gained ground in executive management ranks, but not much. They held 17.9 percent of executive positions at the 100 largest nationally charted banks last year, an increase of only 1.9 percentage points since 2003. The women who have reached that level in their institutions have the influence to change this, both in their banks and the financial industry. Inside, U.S. Banker presents its fifth anniversary of The 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking.

From newcomers to those taking on new assignments, these women's star quality has them front and center. A look at whose influence is gaining ground and growing fastest.

When considering executives' performances across a banking enterprise, there is little doubt that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

The labyrinth of agencies that passes for America's bank-regulatory system is once again under the microscope, but for the first time in decades, it is under serious consideration for reorganization. Three former supervisors recently sounded off about what works-and doesn't-among the web of agencies, which include the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the Federal Reserve and the Office of Thrift Supervision. Supervision of the securities markets, regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, is also ripe for revamping.

While most community banks tout their personalized service as a refreshing change from that of the big banks, Goldwater Bank has adopted the strategy to a level that other industry players wonder whether it's straying from the very essence of what a bank should do.

The payments space is prime territory for banks and their non-bank brethren to cross swords, with new offerings constantly on tap. The menace from interlopers like PayPal grows ever greater.

A number of U.S. banks are beefing up their wealth-management divisions. And that has prompted questions from some corners about whether that strategy is in the best interests of customers, or if the drive for size is fueled by nothing more than ego.