Regional banks

Wolverton has been accumulating responsibility and influence at Synovus in recent years and is the highest ranking woman at the company.

The success of Erminia "Ernie" Johannson's United Way campaign is a testament to her skills as a leader and motivator and goes a long way toward explaining why BMO Financial CEO Darryl White keeps giving her bigger and more important jobs.

Tepid loan demand, falling interest rates and heightened competition from nonbank lenders are just some of the headwinds facing commercial lenders these days, but Ardalan believes MUFG can expand its credit appetite without compromising safety and soundness.

First Republic Bank has been understandably mum about who might replace founder and Chief Executive James Herbert when he retires in two years, but Hafize Gaye Erkan, its 39-year-old president, is considered a leading candidate.

Nandita Bakhshi, CEO of Bank of the West, has pushed the bank's environmental commitments further, including $1 billion in clean energy financing over the next five years.

Three years into the turnaround plan at CIT Group, Ellen Alemany continues to remake the commercial finance company she inherited into more of a traditional bank. The purchase of Mutual of Omaha Bank is another step toward that goal.

As head of commercial banking at PNC Financial Services Group, Stephanie Novosel knows full well that competition for loans is intense and that to win business banks need to add value that goes beyond offering competitive loan terms.

In her role as head of virtual channels at Citizens Financial Group, Beth Johnson is relentlessly focused on making banking simpler for consumers.

Amy Brady, KeyCorp's chief information officer, is keen to spread the word to potential employees about tech opportunities in Cleveland.

Di Gangi has already seen tremendous success in running small and medium business lending, but this year she stretched even further. Among other things, she spearheaded the launch of WE Source, an online tool that helps women entrepreneurs with insights into funding, networking, strategy and other business essentials.

Ranjana Clark, recently named as head of global transaction banking for MUFG Americas Holding Corp., led the rollout of a tool aimed at creating a better customer service experience for employees and customers alike.

Maria Veltre knows what it's like to feel disrespected. Early in her career, she was in mid-sentence when a senior executive turned her back and walked away. Veltre vowed never to make others feel the way she did in that moment, no matter what their situation or station.

"I had a vision of upping our client servicing game to give Citizens' commercial clients a best-in-class experience," Wyper said, "no matter how large or small their relationship with us."

City National Bank in Los Angeles has been growing rapidly since Royal Bank of Canada acquired it in late 2015, and now it's up to Kelly Coffey to keep the momentum going.

Two newly minted CEOs, Citibank's Mary McNiff and City National Bank's Kelly Coffey, top the list of Women to Watch for 2019. Check out who else earned a spot in the ranking.

As a longtime commercial real estate lender and one of highest-ranking women at Key, Mago has made it her mission to improve female and minority representation at both the bank and in her industry.

Smith's biggest responsibility these days is overseeing the replacement of Zions' core loan and deposit systems — a multi-year effort costing hundreds of millions of dollars — but she's taken great care to ensure that the conversion project is not standing in the way of other tech priorities.

See American Banker's 17th annual ranking of the Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance.

Mooney was the first woman to lead a top-20 U.S.-based bank. Gorman, the Cleveland company's vice chairman and president of banking, will replace her on May 1.

Muneera Carr, Comerica's CFO since 2017, will leave in October and James Herzog, who had been the bank's treasurer, will serve as interim CFO until a successor is named.