Monticello participated in the American Banker “Most Powerful Women in Banking” event this week as financial services leaders came together to honor the most important women in the industry and demonstrate their commitment towards driving real outcomes for diversity, equity and inclusion.
Monticello’s next wave of women leaders participated in a session with Cathy Bessant, Chief Operations and Technology Officer at Bank of America, and the recently retired Beth Mooney who was appointed Chairman and CEO of KeyCorp following the 2008 financial crisis. In their conversation, they discussed banks’ role as institutions that communities inherently trust. Given this, banks should contribute to the community and society not only through inclusivity, but also through support for social causes. Internally, they advocate broadening the direct reporting structure and enforcing a diverse slate for recruiting senior management as methods to better include underrepresented groups in bank leadership. These women leaders shared their personal stories and highlighted the importance of persistence and authenticity in the pursuit of creating purposeful organizations with an uplifting culture.