Most Powerful Women in Banking: Next 2021

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Many of the 15 executives selected for our Most Powerful Women in Banking: Next list are in roles that took on outsize importance in a year punctuated by a global pandemic, economic free fall and widespread protests over police brutality and racial inequality.

Some manage human resources or marketing. Some oversee contact centers — whether for customers or employees. And some are involved in business lending, loan pricing or credit assessment.

The use of prepaid cards spiked as states used them to distribute unemployment payments to millions of people suddenly out of work, and U.S. Bank’s Angela Ratliff, rising to the challenge, tackled the accompanying growth in fraud so well her duties expanded to include handling disputes across other products.

One of Shaheena Khan’s employees was among the first at BMO Harris Bank to contract COVID-19, and her response became the playbook for the rest of the organization. Khan, a regional president who oversees retail banking in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, also has a branch close to where Minneapolis police killed George Floyd and where the protests heard around the world first ignited. She worked to make the damaged branch a symbol of hope and healing in the months of unrest that followed.

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Five of the women are from community banks, reflecting the heightened importance such institutions took on during the crisis, particularly with helping small businesses get access to emergency financial aid through the Paycheck Protection Program. Among them are Candice Caruso at WSFS Bank, Tiffanie Horton at LINKBANK and Jennifer Reissman at Seacoast Bank.

Of those responsible for contact centers, PNC Bank’s Kyla Stubbs is overseeing a new one still gearing up in Texas and Ashley Garrison serves Regions Bank’s 19,000 employees at hers. Both Stubbs and Garrison also have moderated some deeply emotional conversations for their co-workers following Floyd’s death. From the perspective of both women, it ended up being an undeniable bonding experience that had participants feeling greater empathy and engagement.

“The conversation was raw, strained, awkward, emotional and fragile and is forever fixed in my mind as a transformative moment,” Garrison said.

Stubbs, a veteran diversity and inclusion leader, came away more motivated than ever. “For as long as I can remember in my career, I have been involved in D&I councils in some role,” Stubbs said. “But I never felt more involved or engaged or passionate about diversity and inclusion than I did in 2020. What 2020 did for me specifically is challenge me to stop leading D&I on a surface level and to make sure we have programs in place with intentional D&I efforts.”

Read on to find out more about all of the crisis-tested women on our 2021 Next list — and get inspired.— Bonnie McGeer

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Lindsey Bell, Ally Invest

Chief investment strategist

Where she’s based: Charlotte, N.C.

What she does: She leads the team responsible for shaping Ally’s point of view on investing and for creating content and tools to educate customers.

“As extreme market volatility set in over the course of her first year, Lindsey stayed in step with each market twist and turn, developing new ways to communicate with and reassure our customers along the way.”

Lule Demmissie, Ally Invest

(Read the full profile here)
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Candice Caruso, WSFS Bank

Director of government guaranteed lending

Where she is based: Wayne, Pa.

What she does: Caruso leads the Small Business Administration lending effort for WSFS, which was the top Paycheck Protection Program lender for Delaware in 2020. The bank was also a top five 7(a) lender in dollar volume in both Pennsylvania and Delaware without PPP loans in 2020.

“Her leadership and organizational skills, and her ability to communicate to motivate and inspire her team are second to none.”

— Richard Wright, chief retail banking officer, WSFS Bank

(Read the full profile here)
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Laura Dodd, City National Bank

Commercial banking relationship manager

Where she’s based: San Diego, Calif.

What she does: Dodd manages a portfolio of corporate clients served by the bank’s aerospace and defense team, which she helped start.

“Laura has a passion for self-improvement, a relentless focus on the client and an emotional competency that supports a long and successful career as a banker.”

Michael Walker, commercial banking manager, City National Bank

(Read the full profile here)
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Kelly Gage, Comerica

National director sales and strategy, commercial bank

Where she’s based: Dallas, Texas

What she does: Gage is responsible for sales enablement, operations and strategic initiatives in the commercial bank, which generates about 80% of Comerica’s revenue. She is also the primary liaison between the commercial bank and its internal and external partners.

"Kelly is one of the most effective, articulate, and hardworking colleagues I have worked with in my 21-year career at Comerica."

Peter Sefzik, executive director, Comerica's commercial bank

(Read the full profile here)
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Ashley Garrison, Regions Bank

Head of human resources operations

Where she’s based: Birmingham, Ala.

What she does: Garrison oversees operations and infrastructure affecting the more than 19,000 employees of Regions Bank

“Our industry is experiencing unprecedented change and success will be determined by our ability to leverage human capital to transform. For Ashley, this is who she is and what she does.”

David Keenan, chief administrative and human resources officer

(Read the full profile here)

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Tiffanie Horton, LINKBANK

Chief credit officer

Where she’s based: Camp Hill, Pa.

What she does: Horton is on the executive team and leads the three-year-old bank’s credit division.

“We are immensely blessed to have Tiffanie at the helm of the credit function, helping build the bank from the ground up.”

Ray Chung, chief culture officer, LINKBANK

(Read the full profile here)

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Shaheena Khan, BMO Harris Bank

Head, retail markets, Minnesota and Western Wisconsin

Where she’s based: Minneapolis

What she does: Khan oversees the Minnesota and Western Wisconsin markets for BMO’s U.S. personal and business banking segments. Her responsibilities include customer experience and growth, as well as strategy and internal talent development.

“Shaheena is an inspiring, strategic leader who builds high-performing teams by fostering an environment of learning and inclusivity.”

Carolyn Booth, head of distribution, U.S. personal and business banking, BMO Harris

(Read the full profile here)

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Lindsey Ogan, Great Plains Bank

Chief growth officer

Where she’s based: Oklahoma City

What she does: Ogan’s role gives her oversight of retail banking, customer experience, employee experience, product management, marketing and brand management. She is responsible for growing the bank’s customer base, its profits and its pipeline of talent.

“Lindsey’s entrepreneurial spirit has set her apart since her first day on the job.”

Mark Russell, chief executive officer, Great Plains Bank

(Read the full profile here)
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Angela Ratliff, U.S. Bank

Global head of disputes and prepaid operations

Where she’s based: Charlotte, N.C.

What she does: She heads a team of about 750 people who handle disputes and chargebacks across multiple bank products. She also oversees U.S. Bank’s prepaid card subsidiary, FSV Payment Systems.

“Her passion is as palpable as it is limitless. I told her recently that she has a high degree of ‘just gives a darn,’ about her work, the bank and our customers.”

Scott Lippert, executive vice president, payment services operations, U.S. Bank

(Read the full profile here)
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Jennifer Reissman, Seacoast Bank

Chief marketing officer

Where she’s based: Stuart, Fla.

What she does: One of nine members of the bank’s senior leadership team, she oversees strategic planning, marketing, and public relations.

“Jennifer has been a tremendous leader of change and strategic thought at Seacoast.”

Chuck Shaffer, chief executive officer

(Read the full profile here)

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Kyla Stubbs, PNC Bank

Care center site manager

Where she’s based:New Braunfels, Texas

What she does:Stubbs led the launch of PNC’s Texas contact center, overseeing all components of staffing strategy and cost-serve management. She’s also a diversity and inclusion leader at the contact center and a consultant to PNC’s retail diversity and inclusion business council.

“Kyla has created a culture where people want to work for PNC and customers feel welcome and respected.”

Cedric McDonald, customer service and support director, PNC Bank

(Read the full profile here)

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Shannon Sutton, First Carolina Bank

Managing director, human resources

Where she’s based: Raleigh, N.C.

What she does: Sutton manages the recruiting and hiring process, oversees employee compensation and benefits, and collaborates with senior management on the design and execution of key strategic projects.

“Shannon has endless potential. She inspires others each and every day.”

Kristen Brabble, chief operating officer, First Carolina Bank

(Read the full profile here)
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Kimberly Ta, Wells Fargo Advisors

Head of financial advisor integration

Where she’s based: St. Louis, Mo..

What she does:Ta’s team is responsible for recruiting financial advisors who work on a variety of platforms, some in bank branches, some as part of Wells Fargo Advisors, and some independently through the Financial Advisor Network (FINET). Ta is also one of the 20 leaders who serve on Wells Fargo Advisors’ operating committee.

“Kim had a big problem to solve — how to stop advisors from leaving and how to support up-and-coming advisors by creating growth and partnership opportunities. In turn, Kim created a highly successful program called Summit.”

Barry Sommers, chief executive officer, wealth and investment management, Wells Fargo

(Read the full profile here)
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Abigail Urtz, FHN Financial

Senior vice president of credit for municipal and corporate bonds

Where she’s based: Memphis, Tenn.

What she does: Urtz’s team works with institutional clients around the country to educate them on everything from credit exposure in their investment portfolios to bond-by-bond analysis. She also supervises the data science group at FHN Financial, which is a unit of First Horizon.

“Initiative, boldness, diplomacy and a zeal to pioneer difficult projects are woven into Abby’s personality.”

Jim Vogel, executive vice president and manager of the interest rate strategies group

(Read the full profile here)
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Cara Younger, BBVA USA

Where she’s based: New York

What she does: Her team structures corporate loans and quarterbacks the process of selling them into the syndication market. She is also the U.S. champion of green financing products for BBVA.

“Cara has consistently demonstrated a level of creativity and leadership that will drive her career on a path to the C-suite.”

Michael Adler, head of U.S. corporate and investment banking, BBVA USA

(Read the full profile here)

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