To understand what drives Bita Ardalan, you have to go back to the Iranian revolution of 1979.

Inspiring others is what motivates Thasunda Duckett to keep taking on challenging new assignments.

Even before it closed its acquisition of FirstMerit, Huntington Bancshares made sure it locked up FirstMerit Vice Chairman and Michigan market Chief Executive Sandy Pierce.

The last two years have been transformative ones for Howard Bank in Ellicott City, Md., and much of the credit goes to Mary Ann Scully, its chairman, president and chief executive.

The highest-ranking female at Fifth Third Bancorp is actually a relative newcomer to banking.

U.S. Bancorp is one of the largest, most respected financial institutions in the country, so it seems almost hard to believe that until Kate Quinn was hired in 2013, it didn't have a consistent branding strategy.

Rosilyn Houston insists that her new job as BBVA Compass' head of human resources is not all that different from her previous one running consumer and commercial banking for the bank's north Texas region.

One secret to Begonya Klumb's success is that she is constantly challenging herself.

For years, MUFG's Wendy Breuder kept taped to her computer a message she found in a fortune cookie that read, "None of the secrets of success will work unless you do." It was a reminder to Breuder that there are no shortcuts to success.

Under Jill Castilla, who became president and chief executive in early 2014, Citizens Bank of Edmond has won scores of fans — and customers — by creating and sponsoring a monthly street festival that has breathed new life into downtown Edmond.

"I would always rather have the most determined, encouraging, find-a-way person on my team than the smartest person in the room," said Liz Dukes Wolverton, Synovus Financial's chief strategy officer.

Last year, Yvette Hollingsworth Clark spearheaded an industrywide initiative to develop a so-called "Compliance Officer Bill of Rights."

Last year, First United Bank and Trust CEO Karen Glenn made her boldest move to date with a deal to acquire the $85 million-asset Bank of Ohio County in Beaver Dam, Ky. With that deal, the first in its 20-year history, First United boosted its assets by nearly 45%, to $275 million.

Angela Birmingham has held a number of high-ranking banking jobs in her career, but until she started helping her oldest daughter with college applications last year she had never given much thought to being a role model for other women.

Though the general counsel and head of compliance at TD Bank is primarily responsible for making sure the bank's business units are playing by the rules, Ellen Patterson says it is also her team's mission to root out inefficiencies that might be slowing down decision-making and causing pain to customers.

Michelle Di Gangi is quietly building Bank of the West into a force in small- and midsize-business lending.

Retaining top talent is a priority for Joan Parsons, Silicon Valley Bank's executive vice president for corporate banking, so last year she launched an internal development program that provides top employees with new experiences and challenges that might ultimately prevent them from jumping ship.

Mary Callahan Erdoes is not as much of a household name as Warren Buffett or Jamie Dimon, but as J.P. Morgan Asset Management's chief executive, she has undeniable influence on Wall Street.

After the U.K. vote in June to leave the European Union, Barbara Byrne had one message for her employees at Barclays: Pay close attention to how it plays out.

"As women, we need to remind ourselves to have an 'opt-in' attitude," said Abigail Johnson, President and CEO of Fidelity Investments. "Career downturns happen to everyone and we must remember to treat them as opportunities to change how we work or try something new. That is what shows our true mettle."