Charlotte bankers lead class of ‘Most Powerful' women

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Once again, this Bank of America Corp. exec sits atop the list of the “Most Powerful Women in Banking,” an annual feature by American Banker. And Cathy Bessant, the Charlotte-based bank’s chief operations and technology officer, is no stranger to the position — she also held the title last year. In this year’s write-up, AB highlights Bessant’s oversight of BofA’s tech operations, such as its success with virtual assistant Erica, mobile app and online banking enhancements.

For the profile, Bessant told AB about a recent adventure — traveling 8,000 miles from BofA’s uptown headquarters to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. She trained for the hike, in part, by walking the stairs to the top of the bank’s gleaming office tower.

“Pushing myself to new limits is part of my DNA, and this goal is no different than other challenges I’ve faced,” Bessant told the publication. “It’s all about mental fortitude and preparation, dealing with 100% certain adversity and 100% certain discomfort.”

Several other local women in banking made the list, too. Read more here.

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