Women CEO Pioneers: Emma Chappell

Today's women business owners stand on the shoulders of the pioneering women who have come before us, breaking down ceilings, opening doors of opportunity, and blazing trails.

We honor the memory of Emma Chappell, founder of United Bank of Philadelphia. She was a visionary banker, community advocate, and civic leader and the first Black woman to charter a commercial bank in the USA.

“My dream was always to start a bank in Philadelphia. And I never lost it.”

Emma Chappell
Founder
United Bank of Philadelphia

Starting as a clerk and rising to VP, Chappell was the first woman VP of a bank in the state of Pennsylvania and the first black VP of Continental Bank.

She founded United Bank of Philadelphia in 1992 after raising the necessary regulatory capital. As the bank's first CEO, she worked tirelessly to expand access to banking services in Philadelphia’s underserved communities, in particular for Black and Latino residents, and advocated for gender and racial equity.

Chappell held fast to her dream to start a bank in Philadelphia, and she made it happen! What’s a dream for your business that keeps you going?