The Most Powerful Women in Banking

Melanie Dressel manages by walking around. Each year, the president and CEO of Columbia Banking System makes it a priority to visit each of the bank's branches, as well as its various departments, to help her better understand what is working for customers and what the bank can be doing better.

Doing better is what Diana Reid is always aiming for and that approach to her work is serving her well. As head of PNC Real Estate, her business has posted double-digit commercial real estate loan growth for four consecutive years.

PNC Financial Services Group is increasingly leaning on Karen Larrimer to help transform many of the ways it interacts with customers.

Patricia "Patti" Husic doesn't give up once she sets her mind to something.

In a rapidly changing banking environment, Royal Bank of Canada is trying to stay on top of the competition by being more agile. Janice Fukakusa, the company's chief administrative officer and chief financial officer, is a major contributor to that cause.