American Banker July-August 2023

REDLINING TO REMEDIATION

Our annual list of 15 rising stars in banking and finance.

The racially targeted mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store in 2022 has renewed conversations about whether banks have a duty to help segregated, impoverished communities that were shaped in part by discriminatory lending practices. What do banks owe the Black community, and what influence could they have?

Stock prices of banks on this annual list of top performers with at least $50 billion of assets have fallen with the rest of the industry's shares. Executives say their strong fundamentals will win over doubters.

Thomas O'Brien has gained a reputation for being able to salvage institutions on the brink of disaster. With his latest rescue job nearly complete, the fix-it specialist ponders his next move.

In his new book, "The Song of Significance," Seth Godin, a business management author, dives into how executives can rethink being profit driven and help create meaning in the work for employees.

There has been a recent surge in organizing efforts among credit union employees. To discourage this, leaders should pay workers well, provide good benefits and be accessible.

Unionizing a workplace is an arduous process, meaning that employees who organize are dedicated to change. Executives must seize on these moments to address workers' concerns instead of reacting defensively.