The Latest from Women in Banking

Olga Hoff's proudest accomplishment in the past year? She created a small-business diversity banking program at Zions.

How can empathy and understanding translate into banking? In about 600 ways, according to M&T Bank's Aarthi Murali. 

When Priscilla Sims Brown took over as head of Amalgamated Bank, she made her goals clear. The company would increase profits and market share. Accomplishing those aims would, in turn, expand the bank's voice on social issues.  

For years, Sound Community Bank in Seattle organized its workforce around bank branches and specialists for retail lending, commercial banking and home mortgage. But in the last year, "we threw all that out the window," said Laura Lee Stewart. 

Julieann Thurlow is working to ensure that smaller institutions don't get left behind as the megabanks make better use of new technology. 

Not only does the banking industry have a problem developing more female senior leaders, it also struggles with ethnic diversity. Kimberly Moore-Wright is working to change that.

Patricia Husic co-founded Centric Financial in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 2007. Then came the Great Recession. 

Cathy Owen has been in the banking industry for almost 50 years, so she well remembers the days when she was the lone woman among her peers. 

Wendy Cai-Lee launched Piermont bank in 2019 with a goal of helping entrepreneurs access financial services through a digital platform. 

Irene Oh has been chief financial officer of East West Bank since 2010. Under her leadership, the bank's total assets grew from $20 billion to $61 billion as of the end of 2021.