Leadership

Elizabeth Magennis started out as a teller in Brooklyn, New York, and is now the president of the $9.8 billion-asset ConnectOne Bank.

As she prepares to leave to run a nonprofit after three decades in the industry, Cole said the financial services sector is better for women — but still has a long way to go.

Now the head of the Mizuho Americas' equity division, Pasquill started her career selling textiles, industrial products and medical equipment.

Nash, the head of tech, media and telecom coverage, has no intention of ending her four-decade career anytime soon.

Katherine Weislogel's career began by being in the right place at the right time.

Beth Johnson, a self-described math geek, is driving the bank's ESG strategy and training its employees to keep pace with industry trends.

Dmuchowski worked three jobs to pay for her college education. She tells young colleagues that regardless of their backgrounds, if they work hard, they will succeed.

Ambitious women who feel trapped in their roles sometimes find themselves competing against others with the same goals. An effective way to advance may require stepping off the most obvious path, according to executives sharing their personal experiences at American Banker's Payments Forum.

The chair and CEO of the M&T division considers herself a "builder-fixer" and has sought out new challenges and opportunities throughout her more than 30-year career.

As the head of enterprise technology and security, Guild tries to stay ahead of fraudsters and other bad actors.