Corporate Board
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Angela A. Abbott Angela A. Abbott has served on the bank’s Board of Directors since 2006. She currently practices law in Titusville, FL, with a concentration in real estate, estate planning, and probate, as well as tax-exempt municipal bond financing, administrative and governmental law. Abbott has practiced law for over 24 years, beginning her career in 1985 as an associate with Nabors, Potter, McClelland, Griffith & Jones, P.A. Titusville, where she later became a partner. In 1988, she joined Evans, Jones & Abbott in Titusville and in 1993 founded Angela A. Abbott, P.A. Abbott currently represents the Housing Finance Authorities of Brevard and Manatee County, and the Brevard County Health Facilities Authority. She also serves as special counsel to the Brevard County Tax Collector and Parrish Medical Center. Abbott serves as Vice President of the Florida Association of Local Housing Finance Authorities (Past President); and formerly served on the Board of Governors, Brevard Community College Foundation and the Florida Bar Grievance Committee, Eighteen Judicial Circuit B (Chair 2009). She received a B.A. in 1981 from the University of Central Florida and earned her law degree, graduating with honors, from Florida State University in 1984. Thomas P. Abelmann Thomas P. Abelmann is BankFIRST’s Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Financial Officer. Tom has been employed with the bank since September, 1998 and has nearly 40 years of banking experience. Previous to BankFIRST, Tom Abelmann was employed with Sun Banks of Florida, Naples Federal Savings and Loan, and Enterprise National Bank of Sarasota. He also held positions as Research and Development Manager for one of the largest financial institution data processing companies in Florida, as well as a consultant / auditor for a CPA firm. Tom earned his B.S. in Business Administration from Illinois State University. During his professional career, he attended the Stonier Graduate School of Banking, and graduated from the Sheshunoff / LSU Executive Banking Institute. Tom is an active member in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Richard O. Baldwin, Jr. Richard O. Baldwin, Jr. serves as a Member of the Board of Directors at BankFIRST. He began his tenure as a Director in the early 1990’s and has been involved in the banking industry since 1984. Baldwin is CEO of Celebris Memorial Services of Quebec, and founded Baldwin-Fairchild Cemeteries and Funeral Homes of Orlando in 1973, with 15 current locations. He sold Baldwin-Fairchild to Stewart Enterprises (STEI – NASDAQ) in 1983, where he continued to serve as President of Corporate Development until 1999. Baldwin acquired Celebris Memorial Services in 2002 and serves as its Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO. Celebris owns and operates 32 funeral homes and 5 cemeteries in Montreal and Quebec City. In addition to his service to BankFIRST, Baldwin is a member of the Board of Directors and Secretary of The Gardens at DePugh Nursing Center (of Winter Park) and serves on the Dean’s Executive Counsel at the University of Central Florida. Baldwin is a graduate of Winter Park High School, Miami-Dade Community College with an Associate Degree in Mortuary Science and the University of Central Florida with a BSBA in Accountancy. Jacqueline L. Bradley Jacqueline L. Bradley serves as a Member of the Board of Directors at BankFIRST. She joined the Board in April 2005, and has a diverse background, spanning both the financial and consulting fields. Bradley was appointed to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Board in May of 2000, and was elected Vice Chairperson in April 2004. In addition to this role, she continues to provide support to philanthropies throughout the Central Florida community. Two organizations to which she has strong ties include the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida, where she serves as a Board Member, as well as the Cornell Museum of Fine Arts. She was also appointed to the Florida Arts Council in 2003. An alumnus of Yale College, Bradley received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Political Science in 1979. She continued her educational career by graduating from Columbia University Graduate School of Business with a Masters in Business Administration in 1982. Ms. Bradley currently resides with her family in the community of Isleworth in Windermere, Florida. Ernest M. Briel Ernest M. Briel is currently active as a professional consulting engineer, and also raises registered Angus cattle. He was a founder and CEO of BRPH, Architects-Engineers, located in Melbourne, FL. The firm initially specialized in aerospace and military facilities but later branched out to include schools, satellite communication stations, and manufacturing plants, doing work in many parts of the world, and eventually becoming one of the 500 largest A-E companies in the United States. Briel, and his company, was one of the principal engineers for the design of the Space Shuttle launch facilities in use today. Briel’s career began in 1956, where he was employed with International Paper Company in Mobile, AL as a plant construction engineer. He served in the U.S. Army as a Regular First Lieutenant, and was assigned to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, and later to Savanna Ordnance Depot, IL. After leaving the army, he returned to Mobile to work as a structural engineer with a large consulting engineering firm designing major highway bridges in New Orleans, Mobile, Washington, D.C., as well as tunnels, buildings and other structures in a number of locations. With the advent of the “space age”, Briel then joined Brown Engineering of Huntsville, AL, at Cape Canaveral, as a structural engineer, then as Chief Engineer at the Cape. He participated in the design of many aerospace facilities for the Apollo moon program, and was one of the principal designers of the Vertical Assembly Building, the Apollo Launch Pad, the Launch Control Center, and many supporting facilities. Briel is the Past Chair and Campaign Chair for the Brevard County, FL United Way; Past Chair, Florida Section, American Society of Civil Engineers; Director, First Florida Bank, Tampa, FL; Director, Reliance Bank; one of the Founders of The Bank Brevard; and Past Chair, Florida Institute of Technology Center for Business Ethics; Member, Clemson University Foundation Board. He received a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from Clemson University in 1956, and a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology in 1984. Briel currently resides in Melbourne with his wife, Pat. Dale A. Dettmer is Vice Chairman of the BankFIRST Corporate Board of Directors, and a Director of the BANKshares, Inc. He has practiced law in Melbourne, FL since 1974, and is a partner of the law firm of Krasny and Dettmer, Melbourne. Dettmer’s practice is concentrated in the areas of business law, real estate and estate planning. He is board certified in taxation by the Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education. Dettmer received a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN in 1967; a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne in 1971; and a J.D. with honors from the University of Florida. Dettmer is a member of the Florida Bar and the Brevard County Bar Associations. He is admitted to practice in the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, and the United States Tax Court. He is also a member of the Tax Section and the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar. Dettmer serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne; Chairman of the Board of Health First Foundation, Inc, and past Chairman and a member of the Board of Directors of the Community Foundation of Brevard, Inc. He is also past President and a Member of the Board of Directors of the Melbourne Kidney Center, Inc. Anne Kelley Fray Anne Kelley Fray is BankFIRST’s Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer. Anne has been employed with BankFIRST since 1996 and is responsible for overseeing all lending functions and credit policy for the bank. Anne has over 26 years of banking experience. Deeply rooted to the Winter Park community, Anne began her collegiate career at Rollins College in 1979, and went on to earn her BA in Mathematics / Business. Following graduation, she began her tenure at Barnett Bank of Central Florida, and rose to the position of Senior Vice President in charge of a Commercial banking Team for the Central Florida Region. While employed at Barnett Bank, she also received her MBA degree from the Crummer School of Business and graduated with distinction from the Stonier School of Banking at the University of Delaware. Anne Fray is a graduate of both Leadership Orlando and Leadership Winter Park. In addition, she has served in the past on the Corporate Board of Directors for BankFIRST, the Corporate Board of Directors of Florida Hospital, a Past President and Trustee of the Winter Park Health Foundation, a Board member of the Crummer School Board of Overseers and Past President of the Winter Park Rotary Club. Previous Boards include the Winter Park Chamber, The American Diabetes Association, Rollins College Alumni Board, the Athena Powerlink Governing Board and various Boards for Florida Hospital and its related entities. Joseph M. Flammio, CFP™ Joseph M. Flammio has been in the investment field since 1969. He joined A.G. Edwards in 1971 and supervised the development of five branch offices. In 1980, he received his Certified Financial Planner™ designation. Flammio co-founded Reliance Bank and The Bank Brevard. He is past President of the Estate Planning Council, a charter member of the International Association of Financial Planners, a former Director of the Community Foundation of Brevard, and is currently a Trustee at Florida Institute of Technology. Flammio came to Florida in 1966 as a member of the Grumman-Apollo team that landed men on the moon. He attended college in New York and is a Navy veteran. Robert B. Goldstein Robert B. Goldstein is a founding Principal in CapGen Capital Advisers, a private equity fund that invests in banks and financial service companies. His experience includes many years in commercial banks, savings and loan associations and other financial institutions. Over the years, he has been CEO of numerous banks and thrifts, and on the boards of directors as both a management member as well as serving as an independent director. The institutions range in size from small to large cap and have been located in various geographic areas. Goldstein draws from a team of highly experienced bankers who bring skills in such diverse areas as risk management, asset quality administration, audit, finance and marketing. In addition to his role as a Director of both BankFIRST and The BANKshares, Inc, Goldstein is a Founding Principal of CapGen Capital Advisers; serves on the Board of Directors of FNB Corporation, Hermitage, PA; serves on the Board of Directors of Cobalt Holdings, Denver, CO; Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida; and is a member of the Executive Network of Glencoe Capital LLC of Chicago, IL. Among other achievements, he was named “Businessperson of the Year” in New Haven. Goldstein received a B.B.A. degree from Texas Christian University, where he graduated magna cum laude and was an Honor Student in the University of Texas program for merit scholars. He also served for seven years on the faculty of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University. Warren O. Griffin Warren O. Griffin is a founding Member of the Board of Directors at BankFIRST, dating back to the bank’s inception in 1989. Griffin’s career in the architectural and engineering industry spans over 45 years. He is the former President of Mayes, Sudderth and Etheredge, Inc. serving as Principal-in-Charge. He was a Principal of Concorde Development Group, Inc., and a Licensed Salesman with Ferrari Realty, Inc., with activities oriented primarily toward the development of commercial real estate. Presently, Griffin serves as a General Partner of Phillips Place, Ltd., as well as Sole Proprietor of a general engineering, construction management, and construction inspection company. Griffin received his Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the University of Florida. He also earned his Master of Science in Environmental Engineering at the University of North Carolina. Ralph V. Hadley, III Ralph V. Hadley, III has been an active member of the BankFIRST Board of Directors since 1989, and also serves as Legal Counsel for the bank. Hadley has served as Counsel for numerous Central Florida financial institutions and their respective Holding Companies, including: Orange Federal Savings and Loan Association, First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Osceola County, and General Counsel and Director of First State Bank of Winter Garden, and Tucker State Bank, where he also served as Vice Chairman of Tucker Holding Company. His practice areas include mergers and acquisitions, commercial law, banking, commercial real estate, corporate law, and mediation. Hadley is a Past Board Member of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce, the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, and Spouse Abuse, Inc. Hadley is a Member of the Orange County and American Bar Associations, The Florida Bar, and the State Bar of California. He is a graduate of the University of Florida, where he received his Bachelor’s of Science degree in 1965, and his J.D. in 1968. George Kanistras George Kanistras has served on the BankFIRST Board of Directors since April 2001. In addition, he has served as Past Chairman of the BankFIRST Goldenrod Local Board of Directors. He currently serves as Director, Treasurer, and Secretary of General Caulking & Coatings, Inc. He is also a real estate associate with Jack Thomas Realty. Kanistras is a member of First United Methodist Church of Oviedo, Past Chairman of the Board for the Oviedo Voice Newspaper, Coca Cola Club of Central Florida, Associated General Contractors (AGC), and Sealant Waterproofers Restoration Institute (SWRI). In addition he serves on the State Advisory Board and is a University of Florida Alumni Member. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Florida. James J. Katehakis James J. Katehakis is the Owner of K&Y Carpet One, a retail flooring center founded by his father in 1961. Operating under the same ownership for over 48 years, Katehakis has diversified and grown the family business. He is also Owner of Prosource of Brevard and Prosource of Vero Beach, the largest floor covering franchise in the state of Florida. Katehakis has served on the bank’s Board of Directors since The Bank Brevard’s inception in 1995. He is a member of the Treasure Coast Home Builders Association, Brevard and Indian River County Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Remodeling Council of Brevard County. Katehakis received his B.S. from the University of Florida in 1984, and has been in the flooring industry for over 25 years. Allan E. Keen Allan E. Keen has been a resident in the Orlando area since January 1964. He graduated with a BA in Economics from Rollins College and received an MBA from the Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business. He is the Chairman and CEO of The Keewin Real Property Company, a real estate investment, development and brokerage company located in Winter Park. He is the past Chairman and a Member of the Board of Trustees of Rollins College, past Chairman and a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Winter Park Health Foundation, and past Chairman and Member of the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority. Keen resides in Winter Park with his wife, Linda; and has two daughters. Craig M. McAllaster Craig M. McAllaster was appointed to the BankFIRST Board of Directors in February 2004. McAllaster is the current Dean of the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College, a role that he assumed in July 2000. Prior to that, he served for six years as assistant dean and director of the school’s executive and professional MBA programs. From 1995 to 1999, he also served as director of Crummer’s global business consulting practicum program. Dr. McAllaster’s background spans industry and academia. He spent more than a decade in the consumer services and electronics industry in management, organizational and executive development programs. He has served on the faculty at the ILR School at Cornell University and the University of Central Florida. While at Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, he taught executive development programs and was the Director of Executive Education. At the University of Central Florida, Dr. McAllaster established, directed and taught in the Executive MBA program. Dr. McAllaster earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona and his master’s degree from Alfred University, where his thesis focused on the performance of companies after acquisition. He earned his doctorate degree at Columbia University where his dissertation concentrated on assessing the value of management programs in changing company environments. Mark G. Merlo Mark G. Merlo is a Principal of Castle Creek Capital (“Castle Creek”), the Company’s primary institutional investor, where he works with portfolio companies, mergers and acquisitions and the raising of new private placement equity. From 1998 to 2006 he served on the Board of Directors of State National Bancshares, Inc. Prior to joining Castle Creek, Merlo spent approximately twelve years with various banking institutions, most recently with Mercantile Bancorp where he was Vice President of Secondary Marketing for the Mortgage Banking Division. Prior to Mercantile Bancorp, Merlo worked at United Postal Bancorporation as Vice President and Investment Portfolio Manager. He previously served in a similar capacity for Farm Credit Bank of St. Louis. Merlo currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Atlanta Bancorporation, Inc. and Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of The BANKshares, Inc. Hubert C. Normile, Jr. Hubert C. Normile, Jr. has been on the bank’s Board of Directors since 1996, and has been practicing law since 1967. Normile’s professional expertise spans over four decades. He is Of Counsel with Gray Robinson, P.A. in Melbourne, FL. Previously he was an Executive Partner for Holland & Knight LLP in Melbourne, and a Shareholder with Maguire, Voorhis & Wells, P.A. Normile has extensive experience in the banking industry, including having served on the SunTrust Advisory Board, Brevard County; Organizer and Founding Director, Reliance Bank; and Organizer and Founding Director, The Bank Brevard. His additional affiliations include: Florida Bar Association, Member; Brevard County Bar Association, Member and Past President; Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee, Member; Florida Bar Legislative Committee, Member; Real Estate Attorneys Liaison Committee, Chairman; and Real Estate and Banking Section of Florida Bar, Member. Normile serves Florida and the Space Coast community in numerous civic and charitable organizations. He serves as Vice Chairman of the Brevard County Housing Finance Authority and is a Board Member and former Chairman of the Brevard Symphony Orchestra. He also serves as Trustee of the Eleanor Kristensen, Bristol-Hansen and Marian M. Jackson Foundations. Normile is a former board member of the Florida Prepaid Tuition Program, and is also certified by the Supreme Court of Florida as a Family Mediator. In 2009, Normile was appointed for a two-year term by Senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez to the Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission. Normile received his B.A. from Guilford College, Guilford, NC in 1965, J.D. degree from University of Florida in 1967, and attended Northwestern University School of Law, School for Prosecuting Attorneys in 1968. Michael W. Poole Michael W. Poole has served on the BankFIRST Board of Directors since April, 1999. He has an extensive career in the financial services industry. Poole is the founding principal of PCE Investment Bankers, Inc., a licensed investment banking firm offering traditional corporate finance services to middle market companies. Prior to forming PCE, he served as a partner in a private investment company, where he directed a number of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures involving Fortune 500 companies, and assisted foreign investors with the development and implementation of acquisition strategies. Poole also served as Executive Vice President at Barnett Bank of Central Florida with responsibility over real estate and corporate lending, and as President of Marine Savings and Loan Association. Poole has expansive involvement in civic affairs, including serving as Chairman (appointed by the Governor) of the State Board for WAGES, a Trustee for Winter Park Health Foundation, and as a member of the Board of Governors of the Winter Park Memorial Hospital. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Jacksonville Branch. A graduate of the University of Florida, Poole received a BS in Finance in 1978. In 1984, he went on to earn an MBA from Crummer Graduate School at Rollins College. |
