Laura Lee Stewart, president and CEO of Sound Community Bank in Washington, is set to be the third woman to serve as chairman of the American Bankers Association. She's already aiming how to make use of her tenure.

Thasunda Duckett, CEO of Chase Consumer Banking, has been a key architect of JPMorgan Chase's massive planned branch expansion.

Innovation in banking typically means developing or investing in some cutting-edge technology that will appeal to younger, tech-savvy customers. But to Luanne Cundiff, it can also mean finding new ways to meet the needs of senior citizens who aren't all that interested in digital banking.

Maria Veltre knows what it's like to feel disrespected. Early in her career, she was in mid-sentence when a senior executive turned her back and walked away. Veltre vowed never to make others feel the way she did in that moment, no matter what their situation or station.

McNiff, American Banker's No. 1 Woman to Watch for 2019, was promoted to the CEO role in April following the retirement of Barbara Desoer.

In an increasingly competitive financial services marketplace, tiny Citizens is thriving, thanks largely to tech innovations Castilla has pioneered and the loyalty built through Castilla's relentless promotion of the bank's customers and the broader Edmond community.

Two newly minted CEOs, Citibank's Mary McNiff and City National Bank's Kelly Coffey, top the list of Women to Watch for 2019. Check out who else earned a spot in the ranking.

During the past year, Dorothy Savarese has pushed her bank's employees to think more creatively, introducing an innovation contest to facilitate the sharing of fresh ideas within the institution.

StreetShares, started as a peer-to-peer service for veterans, has added a platform intended to connect small financial institutions and underbanked companies.

See American Banker's 17th annual ranking of the Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance.

How do you keep the all-male CEO club at the biggest banks intact? Let us count the ways. Could a woman be the next CEO at UBS? Maybe. At Wells Fargo? Less likely.

The consumer agency is investigating Bank of America over “potentially unauthorized” accounts; why fintech rollouts are magnets for fraud; KeyCorp’s Beth Mooney to retire next year; and more from this week’s most-read stories.

Increased adoption of The Clearing House’s faster payments system could put pressure on community banks and credit unions awaiting the launch of the Fed’s competing service, FedNow.

The company will gain 34 branches and $1.2 billion in assets when it buys State Capital in Mississippi.

The decision to bring in Michael Doyle follows a quarter where the South Dakota company reported a spike in net charge-offs.

Royal Bank of Scotland promoted Alison Rose to chief executive officer, making her the first woman to run one of Britain's big four lenders.

The Michigan company sold collateral tied to Live Well, a mortgage company that has filed for bankruptcy protection.

The company will buy TB&T Bancshares, which operates branches near Texas A&M University.

Mooney was the first woman to lead a top-20 U.S.-based bank. Gorman, the Cleveland company's vice chairman and president of banking, will replace her on May 1.

The Pennsylvania company will pay $31 million for a bank with $269 million in assets.