Kathy Underwood, CEO of Ledyard National Bank, receives FIRE industry award

Sep 17, 2019 -  Ledyard National Bank is pleased to announce that Kathy Underwood, President and CEO, has been named a 2019 Woman of FIRE by Banking New England Magazine and American Business Media. The FIRE (Finance, Insurance and Real Estate) sector has emerged as a keystone of the New England economy, transforming the knowledge, wealth and dreams of the most innovative and philanthropic visionaries into reality. Women of FIRE recipients are chosen through a highly selective process with nominations solicited from readers across New England and a panel of judges who weigh all of the nominees, their experience and accomplishments before choosing each winner. She will be honored at a luncheon on October 11 in Natick, Mass.

Leading Ledyard since 2005, Kathy is a powerful voice for the banking industry, serving six years on the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, chairing their audit committee and serving on their nominating committee. She helped set the nation’s monetary policy by representing the concerns of the banks in all New England states, reporting on their economic health and the health of the regional economy. Currently serving as Treasurer on the Executive Committee of the Independent Community Bankers of America, she is a Director of ICBA Securities as well as a Director of the Community Bankers Association of NH. In these positions, she speaks at state conventions on ICBA’s efforts in advocacy, innovation and education. She advocates for safe banking policy and regulations, as well as for programs that allow banks to do more for their communities.

Outside of the boardroom, Kathy devotes her energy and passion to the communities served by Ledyard. She has impacted the community in many ways, including serving as co-chair of the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce where she developed its annual leadership recognition dinner fundraiser. Turning her attention to health and wellness, Kathy engaged the American Heart Association (AHA) for support as she developed and chaired the first Go Red for Women event in the community. She then spearheaded the AHA’s corporate health initiative – Fit Friendly – by organizing prominent local businesses to educate them on the initiative, encouraging them to help their employees lead healthier lives. In recognition of her leadership in changing the health of community members, Kathy was named to the NH American Heart Association Board, as well as the Founders Board representing the Northeast. She became the first person in our market to receive the Crystal Heart Award from the AHA.