Columbus executive is among 2018 ‘Women to Watch’ for the fourth straight year

She’s a rising star in the financial industry, as well as one of the most trusted advisers to her firm’s chairman and CEO.

And, once again in 2018, Synovus executive Liz Wolverton is among the Top 25 “Women to Watch” in the banking sector — her fourth straight year to garner the honor from American Banker magazine.

Wolverton, the chief strategy and customer experience officer at Columbus-based Synovus, appears at No. 15 on the annual list, which recognizes top women for their impact in several areas. That includes the company they serve, the industry in which they work, their community, and their leadership and innovation abilities.

Topping the 2018 list of “Women to Watch,” which appears in the October edition of American Banker’s “Most Powerful Women in Banking and Finance” issue, is Mary Mack, head of consumer banking at Wells Fargo. The top 10 spots include executives from BMO Harris Bank, SunTrust Banks, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, MUFG, TD Bank Group and Citizens Bank.

The “Women to Watch” profile on Wolverton focuses on her responsibility for bringing various department heads and ideas together to reach a consensus on the best moves and outcome for Synovus Financial Corp., a growing Southeast banking firm led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kessel Stelling.

That includes its most recent decision to acquire FCB Financial Holdings Inc., a South Florida-based bank in a deal valued at $2.9 billion. She also has been shepherding an effort to bring more ethnic diversity to Synovus and put more women in higher-level positions within the company, American Banker noted in Wolverton’s “Women to Watch” profile.

“I have been surprised to realize (that) ... the basic task of aligning business leaders on organizational priorities takes a level of determination and endurance that sometimes feels superhuman,” she told the magazine.

Wolverton has been with Synovus since 2003, starting her career there as director of accounting and financial analysis. She then rose to senior director of banking before taking the chief strategy officer job in 2014.

She and the other 2018 “Women to Watch” will be honored Oct. 4 in New York.

This story was originally published September 24, 2018 at 3:03 PM with the headline "Columbus executive is among 2018 ‘Women to Watch’ for the fourth straight year."