Retail & Commercial

Regulators are developing joint standards for cybersecurity, testing special exam procedures and helping banks assess their own readiness, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Martin Gruenberg said at American Banker's 4th Annual Regulatory Symposium. That's a good thing because community bankers said they need a lot of help.

The commitment by the two housing giants marks a win for upstart VantageScore Solutions in its quest to compete against industry leader Fair Isaac Corp. However, the outcome of the review is uncertain, and Fannie warned that the costs of adopting new credit scores might prove to be "substantial" for lenders and others.

In putting together the 2014 edition of the Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance, we decided to pose a few questions about gender to our honorees. One of those questions became a theme: "Does gender matter in banking?" You'll find some of the responses here, and we invite you to share your thoughts.

Banks must take the time to educate mid-size business clients about how to defend themselves against hackers, Javelin Strategy & Research says.

We all say things can be better. These women act.

• FirstMerit's Sandy Pierce: Standing up for Detroit
• Bank of America's Cathy Bessant: Paying It Forward
• M&T's Michele Trolli: Leading a Bear of a Digital Transformation
• Zions' LeeAnne Linderman: Starting a Charity from Scratch
• RBC's Lisa Pollina: Creating Jobs for Military Veterans
• NorthStar's Julie Goodridge: Fighting for Investors and Gay Marriage

Debby Hopkins' team brings fresh ideas to Citigroup by thinking and acting like tech entrepreneurs. Her Citi Ventures unit is an outlier in that its top four executives are women.

Meet the winners of the 2014 Young Women's Leadership Award. These scholarships are awarded as part of the Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance program.

We recognize five banks where women are playing outsized roles in setting strategy and driving results, and each one has an interesting story to tell. Check out how the female executives at Bank of America, Bank of the West, BMO Harris, Citizens Bank of Edmond (Okla.) and Zions are making a difference.

• Bank of America
• BMO Harris Bank
• Bank of the West
• Zions First National Bank
• Citizens Bank of Edmond

Female representation on boards is on the rise and that’s a good thing for innovation, argues Susan Stautberg of WomenCorporateDirectors.

Broadway Financial in Los Angeles plans to raise nearly $10 million through a private placement.