The Most Powerful Women in Banking

"Everyone feels better when they feel welcome, whether it's someone coming to work or a customer walking through the door," said Mary Walworth Navarro, who headed the strategic review that led to the word "welcome" becoming a key component of the Huntington's marketing efforts.

In her first few months as general counsel at JPMorgan Chase — the nation's largest bank by assets — Friedman has come up with creative ways to get her 1,900 employees working cohesively.

In the last year, KeyCorp, under CIO Amy Brady's direction, has made several noteworthy choices as it looks to be a standout amid the digital changes that banks are facing.

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.