Laurie Stewart Named One of American Bankers “Most Powerful Women to Watch”

American Banker Magazine named Laurie Stewart, President and CEO of Sound Community Bank, as one of 2023’s “Most Powerful Women to Watch.”

The “Most Powerful Women to Watch” ranks top-performing female executives whose governance continues to shape the banking industry throughout the country. The complete list appears here: https://www.americanbanker.com/list/the-most-powerful-women-to-watch-2023.

Stewart recently celebrated 33 years with Sound Community Bank.  In this span, Stewart led the organization's conversion from a $38 million dollar credit union to a $1 billion publicly traded commercial bank. Active in the industry, Ms. Stewart was one of 14 bankers selected to serve on the inaugural FDIC Community Bank Advisory Board. Subsequently, she was appointed to the inaugural CFPB Community Banker’s Advisory Board. She is active in trade associations, serving two terms as Chair of the WBA and chaired the ABA flagship Governmental Affairs Committee. In 2017, she was one of nine community Bankers invited to the White House for a listening session with the President. She also served as Chair of the National Arthritis Foundation Board of Directors and is a director of the Seattle Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank, former Chair of the Woodland Park Zoo, and Secretary/Treasurer of the Jamestown/S’Klallam CDFI. She is the only non-tribal member of the CDFI Board.

Ms. Stewart has been recognized in the Most Powerful Women in Banking continuously since 2017. She also earned the prestigious Woman of Influence award from the Puget Sound Business Journal. In 2019, Seattle Business Magazine recognized her as an Executive of Excellence. In 2018, she was named Community Banker of the Year – a national recognition. In 2021, the Puget Sound Business Journal named her one of the Power 100. She is a frequent speaker and teacher. Community volunteering includes serving as a former Court Appointed Special Advocate, Designing and decorating Trees for the O’Christmas Tree Celebrations, and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for cancer research. She also loves to sew and makes a baby quilt for every newborn in the bank family.

Sound Community Bank is a Seattle-based community bank providing personal and business banking services in King, Pierce, Snohomish, Jefferson, and Clallam Counties, and on the web at www.soundcb.com. Sound Community Bank is a subsidiary of Sound Financial Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: SFBC).

For additional information: Media Contact:                                  Deena Rataezyk Vice President, Director of Marketing & Communication [e-mail]                         [phone]