Banks should stop charging steep small-biz fees; Bankers of the Year

Banks underestimate small-business owners' aversion to fees at their peril: Entrepreneurs often call fees a drawback of their current financial institution, according to research from Arizent. Banks should focus on developing long-term relationships with these customers, rather than charging for every service, experts say.

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It's Thanksgiving weekend, and now's a great time to catch up on what the top execs in the field are up to. Check out this year's 2022 Banker, Community Banker and Credit Union Executive of the Year, as well as the Most Powerful Women in Credit Unions.

Banker of the Year: Ally Financial's Jeffrey Brown: Brown has been with the online lender almost since it was spun off from General Motors, helping it broaden its product offerings and take a stand on overdraft fees. Now he must help Ally confront a looming recession.

Community Banker of the Year: Cape Cod 5's Dorothy Savarese: Dorothy Savarese was drawn to a career in the financial services industry after witnessing firsthand how economic stability can improve the lives of others. She then spent 17 successful years running The Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank .

Credit Union Executive of the Year: American Heritage's Bruce Foulke: Organizing relief initiatives for Ukraine, launching charities for children's hospitals and growing an institution to more than $4 billion of assets are benchmarks in Foulke's more than 45-year career.

The woman at the helm of the world's largest credit union: As the CEO of Navy Federal Credit Union, Mary McDuffie can never lose touch with the needs of a young membership stationed across the globe. Read more about The Most Powerful Women in Credit Unions.