Since Colorado’s mineral rush, women proved to be better money managers than men. Yet until the Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974, many women had to have a male co-signer, such as a father or a husband. This led to a group of women to found what would ultimately be the most successful of all U.S. Women’s Banks, in Denver. Despite some scoffing males, The Women's Bank opened in 17th Street’s most elegant office building, the Equitable, on July 14, 1978. The bank took in $1 million its first day and another million in each of its first twelve weeks. 

The Women’s Bank thrived until 1994 when it was sold, with very profitable returns to all investors, to the Colorado Business Bank. Meanwhile, the Women’s Bank story helped inspire other banks, where women held only 2% of top management offices, to move women into the top slots. 

Join Gail Beaton, Tom Noel, and one of the founders of the Women's Bank, Judi Wagner on March 20th, 2021 at 1:30 PM MST.