Most Powerful Women in Banking Top Teams: U.S. Bank

By Mary Ellen Egan

October 5, 2022 6:00 AM

Enjoy complimentary access to top ideas and insights — selected by our editors.

U.S. Bank

Headquarters: Minneapolis

Assets: $537 billion

Female representation among senior employees: 32%

Female representation on operating/management committee: 21%

Every woman on the team list is involved in the U.S. Bank's ESG efforts. Last summer, the bank created a centralized ESG office led by Chief Social Responsibility Officer Reba Dominski. In February 2021, the bank launched Access Commitment, a long-term series of initiatives focused on addressing the racial wealth gap. And in November, the bank announced several commitments to address the impacts of climate change on its business, customers and communities, including setting a goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Other steps it's taken to be environmentally conscious include financing projects that have a positive impact, such as LEED-certified commercial real estate.

Selected executive highlights:

Katie Lawler

Senior Vice President and Chief Global Ethics Officer

An attorney and 20-year U.S. Bank veteran, Katie Lawler was appointed to the newly created role of chief global ethics officer in 2017. Among her responsibilities are overseeing the bank's ethics hotline, ethics investigations, data analytics, training and communication, and policy development and management. Lawler leads with a novel approach to ethics, using behavioral science to create a culture with a focus on mental health wellbeing. She has fostered an internal environment where employees feel safe to offer new ideas as well as to voice concerns.

Sodi Nichols

Vice President of National Strategic Markets

Sodi Nichols has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, and is in her third year at U.S. Bank. As part of her responsibilities, Nichols manages the strategic partnerships and community impact team. During the past year, her team launched U.S. Bank Access Home, a $1.5 million initiative dedicated to advancing Black homeownership. She engaged with a group of nonprofits in five pilot home access markets; Minneapolis, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Las Vegas. The nonprofits are helping to identify and reach out to consumers in their communities who might not have previously considered homeownership as a viable option. Nichols also oversaw the creation of a new mortgage loan officer training program meant to increase representation.

The team

Kate Quinn, Gunjan Kedia, Jodi Richard, Reba Dominski, Katie Lawler, Lisa Stark, Sodi Nichols, Lisa Isaacson, Mary Mikelthun, Jenna Papaz, Ginger So, Jillian Guenther, Carrie Reeder, Andrea Mardock, Anita Balakrishnan, Maxine Swayne, Janet Lerch

See the other 2022 Top Teams: