Board Committees

Mr. Mark Martinelli has served as a director of both the Company and the Bank since January 2024. His professional background is in bank auditing and accounting.

Throughout his career, Mr. Martinelli has held numerous leadership positions, including CEO, CFO, and Chief Audit Executive. From 2014, following its spinoff from General Electric Company and initial public offering, until his retirement in 2022, Mr. Martinelli served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Audit Executive at Synchrony Financial, the largest issuer of private label credit cards in the U.S. Prior to that, he was a senior audit executive at HSBC North America Holdings and its predecessor, Republic New York Corporation, where he was Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Auditor from 2010 to 2014. Mr. Martinelli began his career at KPMG, LLP, where he was a member of their financial services practice for nine years.

In addition to his professional achievements, Mr. Martinelli actively participates in academia and industry discussions. He is a member of the Stan Ross Accountancy Board at Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, and serves on the Department of Accounting & Taxation Executive Advisory Board at St. John’s University. Mr. Martinelli serves as the Vice Chair of the Baruch College Fund Audit Committee. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from St. John’s University and contributes to The CPA Journal as a member of the Editorial Review Board.

Mr. Martinelli is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS). He chairs the Audit Committee of the Board of the Company.

Mr. Martinelli’s expertise in financial services, auditing and accounting qualify him to serve on our Board of Directors. 

Mr. Michael J. Conover has served as a director of both the Company and the Bank since January 2024. Mr. Conover has been a Managing Director at Soundview Partners Limited Liability Company (“Soundview Partners”), a management consulting firm, since June 2021. Prior to joining Soundview Partners, he served as a financial services industry Partner at accounting firm KPMG LLP (U.S.) for over 20 years until his retirement in 2020, and continued working on a specific assignment with KPMG LLP (Canada) as a Senior Advisor until September 30, 2024.

During his tenure at KPMG, Mr. Conover established the Financial Risk Management practice in the United States, led the Global Capital Markets sector for Audit, Tax and Advisory, and engaged in numerous financial advisory and risk management assignments around the world. He served as KPMG’s Global Lead Partner for several of the world’s largest banks and financial services companies.

Before joining KPMG, Mr. Conover was a Managing Director at The Secura Group, focusing on financial consulting and risk management. He also held positions at Ryan, Beck & Co., and Drexel Burnham Lambert, where he was involved in bank mergers, acquisitions, and capital-raising assignments. Mr. Conover is a member of the Ithaca College Board of Trustees.

Mr. Conover holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Ithaca College and participated in the IMD Global Lead Partner Leadership Program in Lausanne, Switzerland. He chairs the Risk Committee of the Board of the Company.

Mr. Conover’s experience in the financial services industry, and his expertise in bank risk management, qualify him to serve on our Board of Directors.

Mr. Joseph M. Fitzgerald serves as a director of both the Company and the Bank. He has been a member of the Bank’s Board since its founding in 2007 and joined the Company’s Board in October 2022. His professional expertise is in risk management for financial institutions.

Since January 2005, Mr. Fitzgerald has been the president of Fitzgerald Financial LLC, providing risk management and regulatory consulting services to financial institutions worldwide. He previously spent over 18 years at the Secura Group, where he was the Managing Director of its global credit services practice. His career commenced as a National Bank Examiner the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”), the regulator of nationally chartered banks, where he represented the OCC on the Basel International Supervisors Committee Subgroups for off balance sheet risk and interest rate risk. Mr. Fitzgerald also served as a regular instructor to both OCC and Federal Financial Institutions Examinations Council schools for credit, foreign exchange, and nontraditional banking activities.

Mr. Fitzgerald graduated from the University of Notre Dame and completed further studies at the Darden School of International Banking at the University of Virginia and obtained a Certificate of Accountancy from the University of Pittsburgh. Mr. Fitzgerald chairs the Loan Committee of the Board of the Bank.

Mr. Fitzgerald’s expertise in financial risk management, bank supervision regulation, coupled with his experience as a director of the Bank, qualify him to serve on our Board of Directors.

Mr. Paul W. Leavitt serves as a director of both the Company and the Bank. He has been a member of the Company’s Board since December 2016 and joined the Bank’s Board in January 2018. His professional background is in journalism and communications.

Prior to his retirement in 2008, Mr. Leavitt had a 21-year career with USA Today in various editorial capacities, including serving as the Washington News Editor. Since September 2001, Mr. Leavitt has served as a Trustee of Drake University and currently serves as Chair of the Endowment Investment Committee. He is also a Director and Vice President of Mill Reef Properties, Ltd.

He received his undergraduate degree in journalism from Drake University and then studied Russian at Moscow State University. Mr. Leavitt serves on the Audit and Compensation Committees of the Board of the Company.

Mr. Leavitt’s communications and investment expertise and his experience as a director of the Company and of the Bank qualify him to serve on our Board of Directors.

Ms. Benita Thompson-Byas serves as a director of both the Company and the Bank. She has been a member of the Bank’s Board since its founding in 2007 and joined the Company’s Board in October 2022. Her areas of expertise include marketing, communications, business operations, and human resources.

In her position as Senior Vice President and Vice Chair of Thompson Hospitality, L.P. since January 2008, Ms. Thompson-Byas has been instrumental in steering the company to its status as the largest minority-owned food service company in the United States Additionally, Ms. Thompson-Byas serves as the Director of Community Relations at Thompson Hospitality, orchestrating the company’s philanthropic efforts.

She is also responsible for overseeing the partnership between Thompson Hospitality and Compass Group, which involves operations at over 600 dining centers in 46 states and 6 countries. The partnership focuses on supporting diverse suppliers and fostering educational and career opportunities, notably through collaborations with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Ms. Thompson-Byas earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Virginia’s College of Arts and Sciences. She chairs the Compensation Committee of the Board of the Company.

Ms. Thompson-Byas’s business and management experience, as well as her experience as a director of the Bank, qualify her to serve on our Board of Directors.

Ms. Leigh-Alexandra Basha has served as a director of both the Company and the Bank since February 2024. Ms. Basha is a partner at McDermott Will & Emery LLP, where she leads the firm’s Private Client Practice Group in Washington, D.C. Her practice focuses on international estate and tax planning, including estate and trust administration, family wealth preservation, tax compliance, business succession planning, and pre-immigration planning.

Prior to her current position at McDermott Will & Emery LLP, which she assumed in 2015, Ms. Basha was a partner at Holland & Knight, LLP for a decade, during which time she chaired its International Private Wealth Services practice.

Ms. Basha has served as an adjunct professor at American University Washington College of Law, teaching wills, trusts, and estates. She has authored or edited various publications on international tax and estate planning, including “A Guide to International Estate Planning: Drafting, Compliance, and Administration Strategies,” Second Edition.

She received her A.B. degree from Georgetown University, her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law and her Master of Laws from Georgetown University Law Center. She chairs the Trust Oversight Committee of the Board of the Bank.

In her capacity as a director of the Company and the Bank, Ms. Basha’s contributions are independent of her professional obligations at McDermott Will & Emery LLP. Ms. Basha’s experience in trusts and estate law qualifies her to serve on our Board of Directors.

Ms. Michelle L. Korsmo serves as a director of both the Company and the Bank. She has been a member of the Bank’s Board since November 2019 and joined the Company’s Board in October 2022. Her professional experience is in leading trade associations, government affairs, and corporate governance.

Since May 2022, Ms. Korsmo has been President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Restaurant Association, the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises approximately one million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.5 million employees. She is also the chief executive officer of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

From September 2018 to May 2022, Ms. Korsmo was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, the national trade association representing the wholesale tier of the wine and spirits industry. She also served seven years as head of the American Land Title Association (ALTA), the national trade association for real estate settlement services and the land title industry. Prior to ALTA, Ms. Korsmo served as Executive Vice President of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation and previously served as the Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Labor.

Ms. Korsmo has served as a Trustee at Sterling Multifamily Trust since 2017 and currently serves as Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee. Ms. Korsmo is also a member of the Bryce Harlow Foundation board of directors. She chairs the Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board of the Company.

Ms. Korsmo’s management and governance expertise qualify her to serve on our Board of Directors.

Mr. Paul W. Leavitt serves as a director of both the Company and the Bank. He has been a member of the Company’s Board since December 2016 and joined the Bank’s Board in January 2018. His professional background is in journalism and communications.

Prior to his retirement in 2008, Mr. Leavitt had a 21-year career with USA Today in various editorial capacities, including serving as the Washington News Editor. Since September 2001, Mr. Leavitt has served as a Trustee of Drake University and currently serves as Chair of the Endowment Investment Committee. He is also a Director and Vice President of Mill Reef Properties, Ltd.

He received his undergraduate degree in journalism from Drake University and then studied Russian at Moscow State University. Mr. Leavitt serves on the Audit and Compensation Committees of the Board of the Company.

Mr. Leavitt’s communications and investment expertise and his experience as a director of the Company and of the Bank qualify him to serve on our Board of Directors.

Ms. Michelle L. Korsmo serves as a director of both the Company and the Bank. She has been a member of the Bank’s Board since November 2019 and joined the Company’s Board in October 2022. Her professional experience is in leading trade associations, government affairs, and corporate governance.

Since May 2022, Ms. Korsmo has been President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Restaurant Association, the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises approximately one million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.5 million employees. She is also the chief executive officer of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

From September 2018 to May 2022, Ms. Korsmo was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, the national trade association representing the wholesale tier of the wine and spirits industry. She also served seven years as head of the American Land Title Association (ALTA), the national trade association for real estate settlement services and the land title industry. Prior to ALTA, Ms. Korsmo served as Executive Vice President of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation and previously served as the Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Labor.

Ms. Korsmo has served as a Trustee at Sterling Multifamily Trust since 2017 and currently serves as Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee. Ms. Korsmo is also a member of the Bryce Harlow Foundation board of directors. She chairs the Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board of the Company.

Ms. Korsmo’s management and governance expertise qualify her to serve on our Board of Directors.

Mr. Andrew J. Fitzgerald serves as a director of both the Company and the Bank. He has been a member of the Company’s Board since April 2020 and joined the Bank’s board of directors in January 2024. Since January 2018, Mr. Fitzgerald has served as the Chief Investment Officer and, since January 2022, the Managing General Partner of Otis Road Investments, L.P. This single-family office focuses on family wealth preservation, capital

appreciation, and diversification, actively investing in the banking and financial services sectors and a variety of other industries, including the partnership’s investments in the Company.

From 2011 to 2017, Mr. Fitzgerald was a Managing Director at Hovde Group, an investment bank specializing in financial institutions.

Throughout his career, Mr. Fitzgerald has served as a director of multiple bank holding companies and banks, including Southern Colorado Corporation from 2014 to 2018, Citizens Bank of Pagosa Springs from 2017 to 2018, and First Bancorp of Durango, Inc. from 2012 to 2014. He has been a director of Southern Wisconsin Bancshares Corporation and Farmers Savings Bank since 2013.

In addition to his banking and investment management work, Mr. Fitzgerald is co-founder of Trippers & Askers, a winery based in Santa Barbara, California. He also serves as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Calm, a not-for-profit specializing in the prevention and treatment of childhood trauma throughout Santa Barbara County.

Mr. Fitzgerald earned his B.A., M.B.A., and J.D. degrees from Northwestern University. He serves on the Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board of the Company.

Mr. Fitzgerald’s legal and financial services industry expertise qualify him to serve on our Board of Directors.

Mr. Thomas G. Fitzgerald, Jr. serves as a director of both the Company and the Bank. He has been a member of the Company’s Board since April 2020 and joined the Bank’s Board in January 2024. His professional experience is in investment management and banking, with expertise in fixed-income analysis, financial statement analysis, and corporate finance.

Since September 2018, Mr. Fitzgerald has served as the CEO of Fitzgerald Investment Management Company LLC, where he oversees a single-family office that prioritizes asset allocation and cost-effective investment strategies for individuals and limited partnerships.

In addition to his CEO position, Mr. Fitzgerald has been a Manager of TF Management LLC, the General Partner of TGF Investments, L.P., since 2018. In this capacity, he manages private investments, including the partnership’s investments in the Company.

Prior to his current roles, Mr. Fitzgerald held various leadership positions at First Bancorp of Durango, Inc. between 2012 and 2018. He served as a director and later as President from September 2017 to September 2018. During his tenure, he managed the company’s merger with Triumph Bancorp, Inc. and served as a director at the First National Bank of Durango and Bank of New Mexico.

From 2008 to 2017, Mr. Fitzgerald worked as a Managing Director at Perry Capital, a New York City-based investment management firm specializing in cross-asset and event-driven strategies. He managed the firm’s largest investments in financial institutions in the United States and globally and focused on distressed debt across various industries. Mr. Fitzgerald began his professional career as an Analyst in the Financial Institutions Group at Lehman Brothers, where he served on teams advising regional banks during the Global Financial Crisis.

He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds a B.A. in Economics from Stanford University, with minors in Classics and Management Science & Engineering. He chairs the Asset-Liability Committee (ALCO) of the Board of the Bank and serves on the Governance and Nominating Committee of the Board of the Company.

Mr. Fitzgerald’s expertise in investment management and banking qualify him to serve on our Board of Directors.