The Most Powerful Women in Banking NEXT No. 16, Julie Andress, KeyBank

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Julie Andress, managing director for institutional equity sales trading at Key Banc Capital Markets, consistently ranks among the top producers on the trading desk. She even ranked among the top producers when she was on three-month maternity leaves in 2020 and 2024.

Since joining KeyBanc Capital Markets in 2011, Andress has regularly cultivated client relationships that have contributed to double-digit revenue growth.

Andress credits some of her success to her relationship-nurturing mindset.

"I'm a very genuine, down-to-earth Midwest person, and I bring that to my day-to-day business and how I interact with my clients, and that's helped me build a lot of relationships — from clients in New York to across the Midwest to Canada," she said.

To help maintain those relationships, Andress introduces her clients to as many people on the trading desk as she can. That way, if she's out for a day or a week or on maternity leave, her clients feel comfortable doing business with at least one or two of her colleagues.

"Obviously, I'm still the quarterback and the person they want to deal with in the first place," she added.

According to Andress, one of the keys to being a go-to, successful trader stems not from finding balance between her home and work lives, but from adeptly juggling her responsibilities. Today, those responsibilities include chairing the Security Traders Association.

Jim Toes, president and CEO of the Security Traders Association, called Andress "a true industry professional and relationship management expert."

"Julie possesses both a deep knowledge of the markets and the people skills needed to succeed in this business," Toes said.

Her knowledge and skills go beyond markets and people, though.

Andress has worked for more than a year and a half with Key Banc Capital Markets' head of electronic trading, Geoff Bernard, to test a proprietary algorithm that enables "high touch" trading clients to take advantage of "low touch" technology. As part of that process, Andress has leaned on transaction cost analysis, which helps investment managers pinpoint the effectiveness of portfolio transactions and reduce trading expenses.

More broadly, Andress seeks to differentiate herself in the crowded and competitive trading sector by exhibiting a certain amount of hustle. That means looking at trading in different ways and developing new ideas, for example.

Equipped with a wealth of knowledge and skills, a hustle mentality and years of experience, Andress hopes to advance in the trading industry and one day manage an equities group.

Toes foresees a promising professional future for Andress.

"Julie has already built an extremely impressive career and reputation for herself, and this is just the beginning for her and her achievements," Toes said. "Whatever path lies ahead, she will approach it with the utmost professionalism and enthusiasm."