Armed Forces Bank Named One of Forbes' America's Best Employers for Women 2026

National recognition highlights workplace culture centered on career growth,
leadership opportunities, flexibility and longstanding support for women associates

LEAVENWORTH, Kan., Aug. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Armed Forces Bank – a full-service military bank committed to serving those who serve since 1907 – has been named one of America's Best Employers for Women 2026 by Forbes, earning national recognition for a workplace culture that supports women associates as they build careers, grow as leaders and balance professional and personal responsibilities.

Armed Forces Bank ranked No. 328 among the 700 employers nationwide selected for the prestigious annual list.

"This recognition is especially meaningful because it is rooted largely in the experiences and perspectives of working women," said Paul Holewinski, CEO of Armed Forces Bank. "We want Armed Forces Bank to be a place where talented people can build rewarding careers, grow into leadership roles and know they are supported along the way. When our associates have opportunities to develop, succeed and build a career that works with their lives, our entire organization is stronger."

Now in its ninth year, Forbes' America's Best Employers for Women ranking is produced with market research firm Statista. More than 146,000 women working for companies with at least 1,000 U.S. employees were surveyed. Participants evaluated employers on factors including career development, parental leave, work-life balance and benefits supporting childcare and eldercare. Statista also analyzed the representation of women in executive and board positions, with more recent feedback from current employees receiving greater weight. Ultimately, the 700 highest-scoring companies earned a place on the 2026 list.

Supporting Women's Careers, Growth and Leadership
At Armed Forces Bank, women contribute across the organization as bankers, executives, managers and specialists, bringing a wide range of professional, personal and military-connected experiences to their roles. The bank's focus is on creating an environment where women can develop their skills, pursue new opportunities, advance into leadership and build rewarding long-term careers.

"Women build careers in different ways and through different seasons of life, and there isn't one path to success," said Jodi Vickery, EVP and Chief Digital Officer at Armed Forces Bank and the spouse of a 20-year Army retiree. "What matters is having opportunities to keep learning, take on greater responsibility and know your contributions are valued. I also know personally how important flexibility and support can be when life requires you to adapt. That understanding is very much part of the culture at Armed Forces Bank."

Vickery also co-hosts Armed Forces Bank's "Militarily Speaking" podcast with Tom McLean, which addresses financial, career and family issues affecting service members, veterans and military families.

The bank's connection to the military community adds another dimension to that culture. Approximately 80% of Armed Forces Bank associates have some type of military affiliation, whether through their own service or retirement, a spouse or a child who serves. That connection gives many associates firsthand understanding of the adaptability that military and family life can require – including relocations, career transitions and changing family responsibilities.

For Armed Forces Bank, supporting women in the workplace includes both creating opportunity across its own workforce and recognizing some of the distinct career challenges women connected to military life may encounter.

Extending Opportunity Beyond the Workplace
That commitment extends into the military communities Armed Forces Bank serves. Armed Forces Bank is a founding partner of the Department of Defense's Military Spouse Employment Partnership now named SpouseWorks, which connects military spouses with employers committed to recruiting, hiring, promoting and retaining them. SpouseWorks is part of the Department of Defense's effort to strengthen education and career opportunities for military spouses.

Earlier this year, Armed Forces Bank also partnered with Hire Heroes USA, a national nonprofit that provides personalized career coaching and employment resources at no cost to transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses. Since 2005, Hire Heroes USA has supported more than 118,000 confirmed hires.

As part of that partnership, Armed Forces Bank sponsored the celebration of a military spouse at the Hire Heroes USA Annual Gala, recognizing the resilience and contributions of military spouses and bringing greater visibility to the career challenges they can face.

"Our commitment to opportunity starts with our own associates and extends to the military community we serve," said Tom McLean, SVP and Regional Military Executive at Armed Forces Bank. "We see every day the talent, leadership and resilience women bring to our organization and to military communities across the country. Whether we are developing people within Armed Forces Bank or working with organizations such as Hire Heroes USA, we want to help create the support, resources and opportunities that allow people to build successful careers and stronger financial futures."

Armed Forces Bank also added Hire Heroes USA as a beneficiary of its Heroes Round Up program, allowing clients to support veteran and military-family career services through everyday banking transactions.

The complete Forbes America's Best Employers for Women 2026 ranking was published Aug. 4, 2026.

About Armed Forces Bank 
Armed Forces Bank, founded and headquartered in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a full-service military bank committed to serving those who have served since 1907. Armed Forces Bank provides affordable, personal and convenient banking and financial services to both active and retired military, as well as civilian clients in all 50 states and around the world. Approximately 80% of Armed Forces Bank associates have some type of military affiliation either by spouse, retired themselves or their children.

Armed Forces Bank has $1.44 billion in assets and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dickinson Financial Corporation, a $4.72 billion bank holding company headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Armed Forces Bank's sister bank, Academy Bank, is a full-service community bank with over 80 branch locations in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri. For more information, visit armedforcesbank.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Member FDIC.

SOURCE Armed Forces Bank