Women continue to climb in local banking industry

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)()()Only shards remain of the glass ceiling for women in the banking industry.

When I first came in, women were more involved servicing loans or working the teller lines,

said Bill Owen, executive vice president of the south central region for UMB Bank. Owen has been involved in banking in southwest Missouri for more than 20 years.

Today there is a steady increase in the movement of women into senior management positions in the banking industry.

Heading the list is Anne-Marie Baker, who was promoted to community bank president of UMBs Springfield banking center last August.

Shes very bright and very good at what she does, said Owen, who said he wasnt aware of any other women in the area to hold the president position.

I think that it is changing at the senior levels, particularly in the case of Ann Marie. I think she is kind of setting the stage for more advancement of other women.

Baker shrugs off such comparisons.

I think its probably just a slow evolution, Baker said. I think, historically, there has always been a large number of women in banking, but recently there ha

ve been more opportunities for women to ascend to management positions.

Im not sure that the abilities of women are any different now than they were 30 or 40 years ago. Perhaps there are more educational opportunities for women, but I think that it is a gradual change in society, particularly in the Ozarks.

From a male perspective, Owen believes the recognition is overdue.

There is a recognition that these people have worked their way up the ladder, are very capable and have the experience, Owen said. Nobody is giving them these positions to help them out. It

s just that people are recognizing the fact that we have some women in our community that, through their hard work and ability, have earned their way to more prominent positions.

In the banking i

ndustry, 75 percent of the work force is female, according to Financial Women International. However, only 16 percent of the executives in the top 100 U.S. commercial banks are women, up 3 percent from 1999, according to FWI, a professional association of

women in the financial services industry.

The change in the perception of women in power positions can be traced to several societal changes. More people are growing up with professional female role models and are growing increasingly comfortable with wome

n as doctors, lawyers, bankers and in other professional occupations.

I think that may be true to a degree, Baker said of younger clients. But, of course, there are exceptions. It depends on individuals and their frame of reference, whether or not they

deal with women in other areas. It could be a younger or older person.

I think it comes down to role models. People that have someone they have seen in a professional role ... thats what helps things change.

Nadia Cavner, senior vice president of U.S. Banks Investment Services, agrees with Baker.

Perhaps there is some truth to that, she said. The (younger) generation is used to not seeing just men, but you have to trust that thats not an issue. I think that sincerely helps in our business.

Cavner adds that while women are adapting well, there are still some pressures involved for women.

Women are becoming more confident, more integrated into senior management and proving themselves more, Cavner said. But I think we always feel like we have to continue to prove ourselves.

I think you have really seen quite a nice change for the better, and as we continue to prove ourselves, we can make a big difference in our companies and in the way we are doing business.

Robin Robeson, the senior vice president and market executive for Commerce Trust Company, started in the banking industry in 1986 as a teller while in college. Robeson has her own reason why women have become more accepted in higher positions.

Even since 1986, lots of changes have happened, especially at Commerce Bank, Robeson said. (Gender) doesnt matter anymore. Banking has really evolved.

You used to sit in an office and wait for customers to come to you, but the industry is much more sales-oriented now, and I think that plays into

the strength of women. Banks must be more proactive and develop relationships, which I think women are especially good at.