The Most Powerful Women in Banking

BMO Financial Group is poised for a dramatic expansion of its U.S. banking business later this year when it closes on its $16.3 billion acquisition of Bank of the West, the U.S. operations of BNP Paribas. Laying the groundwork for the merger is Erminia "Ernie" Johannson, BMO's group head for North American personal and business banking.

For much of last year, Titi Cole wore multiple hats. She was head of operations and fraud prevention for Citi's consumer bank, where she launched new fraud-detection capabilities, strengthened risk controls with enhanced governance oversight for issue and third-party management, and invested in controls automation and digital monitoring.

Sandy Pierce was in the midst of transforming how Huntington Bank delivered advisory services when her counterpart in the company's community banking unit left for a new job.

Dorothy Savarese stepped down this year as president and CEO of Cape Cod 5, the bank she led for 17 years. But as executive chair of the bank in Hyannis, Massachusetts, her schedule remains packed even if it's more compact.

Discovery Federal Credit Union in Wyomissing has promoted its chief information officer, Michele Smith, to succeed Edwin Williams as CEO. Smith assumed her new role effective October 1.