No. 4: LeeAnne Linderman, Zions Bancorp.

LeeAnne Linderman
EVP, Retail Banking, Zions Bancorp.

LeeAnne Linderman is always up for a challenge.

Just weeks after starting a new job running retail operations for all of Zions Bancorp., Linderman in early February took on an assignment to co-chair the search for a new chief executive at one of Utah's biggest nonprofits, the United Way of Greater Salt Lake.

It was an intimidating task given the stature of many of her board colleagues, but Linderman saw it as an important test of her leadership skills. Linderman serves on several nonprofit and corporate boards and believes strongly that the more engaged she is as a board member, the better leader she will be at Zions. When the months-long search ended in the spring, Linderman felt it had been one of the most rewarding experiences of her entire career.

In her new role, Linderman is tasked with overseeing retail banking across the $54 billion-asset company's seven banking subsidiaries in 11 states. Previously she ran retail banking at Zions' lead bank, the $19 billion-asset Zions First National Bank.

Among her chief objectives is rolling out to the holding company's entire 460-branch footprint a promising new branch design that she piloted.

The promotion also earned Linderman a seat on the holding company's 21-person executive management team.

Long term, Linderman aspires to join more corporate boards. She's passionate about creating opportunities for women, minorities and the disadvantaged, and believes that, outside of holding elected office or heading a major corporation or nonprofit, the only way to effect real change is to serve on more boards. She also believes that more women in boardrooms will lead to more women in C-suites.

"I'd like to have the ability to have an impact as other women have had for me," she says.

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