The Women's Bank in Denver was founded in 1987 by a group of pioneering women, including founder LaRae Orullian and key board members Judi (Foster) Wagner, Beverly Martinez, Edna Mosley, Joy Burns, Gail Schoettler, Carol Green, and Bonnie Andrikopolous. The Women’s Bank was a landmark financial institution created to combat discrimination against women in banking, allowing them to get loans and open accounts without male co-signers. The bank was an immediate success, attracting over $1 million in deposits on its first day and demonstrating women's financial power, paving the way for greater inclusion in finance before being sold in 1994 and renamed the Colorado Business Bank.
- Courtesy Tom "Dr. Colorado" Noel
Learn more in Tom Noel’s book “The Women’s Bank: A Denver Success Story” and at Katie Rudoph’s piece, “A Bank For All People': Remembering The Women's Bank” https://history.denverlibrary.org/news/denver/bank-all-people-remembering-womens-bank
Image: https://history.denverlibrary.org/news/denver/bank-all-people-remembering-womens-bank