GRANDVIEW, Ohio — There are far more men than women who own banks. 

What You Need To Know

• Fortuna Bank in Grandview is the first women-run bank opening in Ohio


• The bank hopes to close the financial literacy gender gap by creating a comfortable space for women to learn about finances, which is why a lot of the employees here are women


• While Fortuna bank is mainly a women-run operation, owners want the public to know the bank welcomes men and women

According to MightyDeposits.com, less than 1% of all banks in the United States are headed by women, but a business duo Spectrum News 1 reported on last year is bucking the trend, and their bank is now ready to open.

Fortuna Bank in Grandview is the first women-run bank opening in Ohio.

Ilaria Rawlins is one of the women who helped start this bank, but she said her passion for financing really began when she was little. 

"My mom ended up being, you know, really, for the most part a single mom and was not from the United States, was from Italy, and see her struggle a little bit," Rawlins said. "That made an impact on me."

But Rawlins never imagined she’d start a bank until she crossed paths with Lisa Berger. 

"She was my personal banker for about 10 years,” Berger said. “Her name was the first I thought of to pursue this bank." 

And Berger had a vision. 

"I had recently sold my company,” Berger said, “and I was sort of just looking for my next thing. I made a very conscious decision at the time that whatever business I started next would be sort of a legacy project, something that would have some meaning."

They bounced ideas around and, after three years of hard work, Fortuna Bank became a reality. 

The bank hopes to close the financial literacy gender gap by creating a comfortable space for women to learn about finances, which is why a lot of the employees there are women. 

"I think that historically,” Berger said, “banks are traditionally male-run, male-oriented. And women who might have questions about finances or how to start a business would feel somewhat intimidated walking into a bank. And I just think that the greatest resource that we have will be our people.”

While Fortuna bank is mainly a women-run operation, owners want the public to know the bank welcomes men and women. 

The bank’s friends and family opening is on Dec. 9 while its grand opening is slated for Jan. 30.