Board Of Directors

Tom is originally from Milwaukee, WI, and was drafted into the Army in November 1964. In January 1966, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry at Fort Benning, GA.  Immediately following his commissioning, he earned his Airborne wings and Ranger tab.  He was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge during his tour as a Recon Platoon Leader with the 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam. Tom extended his tour in Vietnam and earned his Pathfinder Badge while serving as the Pathfinder Detachment Commander with the 1st Aviation Brigade. Tom left active duty in 1968 to return to school to obtain his Bachelor’s Degree. He joined the Army Reserve that same year. Tom’s assignments included Battalion Commander of the 306th Psychological Operations Battalion, Inspector General 63rd Army Reserve Command and Commandant of the 6220th USAR School. Tom’s military awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal. Tom is a graduate of the Army’s Psychological Operations Advanced Course and the Command and General Staff College. Tom successfully completed the First Year Studies of the Army War College and was selected to serve as Class President. Tom was inducted into the OCS Infantry Hall of Fame in 1990. In January 1991, he was called back to active duty for Desert Storm. In 1994, Tom was selected by the USAR General Officer Assignment Board to serve as Chief of Staff of the 311th Corps Support Command, a Brigadier General on Mobilization position. He retired in 1996 with the rank of Colonel.

Tom started his banking career in 1970 at Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago. In 1974, after initial operating management assignments in the Remittance Banking Division and the International Banking Division, Tom was selected to attend the bank’s credit training program and had his request for a transfer to Los Angeles, CA. approved. When he was due to rotate back to Chicago in 1979, Tom joined Crocker National Bank as a Business Development Officer in the Los Angeles International Banking Office. He went on to lead the Office’s Operations Group and was later designated a Senior Credit Officer and promoted to General Manager of the Office. In 1984, Tom was recruited by Citicorp to be its Los Angeles-City Administrative Officer. Upon completion of his 12 month Desert Storm tour in Dec. 1991, he started his own business and sold it in 1997.  In 1998, Tom was asked to join Pacific Coast Bankers’ Bank (PCBB) as a Relationship Manager. Tom was promoted to Director of Marketing in 2000 and in February 2003, he was selected to be President and CEO of the Bank and Chairman of Banc Investment Group (BIG). He retired from both positions on February 29, 2008.

Tom received his bachelor’s degree, with a major in psychology and senior honors, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UW-M) in 1970. Tom attended UW-M because his father told him “Tom, you can go to any college you can afford to pay for”– no silver spoons in my family. He received his M.B.A. (Banking) from Golden Gate University in 1977.

Tom lives in Marina del Rey, CA, with his wife, Mona, who is a Registered Dietitian and retired Army Major.  In retirement, Tom is focusing on “giving back” to society. He volunteers with Junior Achievement, where he teaches Economics for Success, Personal Finance, Success Skills for Teen Agers, JA Global Marketplace and The Company Program and at the Boys and Girls Club, where he teaches Personal Finance.  He also volunteers at the Veterans Administration Hospital in West Los Angeles and serves on an Advisory Board of Boston Private Bank. Additionally, he serves on the Finance and Building Committees of his HOA.  Finally, Tom serves as a Director for the United States Army Ranger Association.

Tom is a frequent (that’s an understatement) early morning golfer with a single digit handicap. Tom and Mona enjoy traveling to spend time with family and friends and visiting far away places (most recently, trips to the Amazon River in Peru, China & Tibet, and a cruise to the Greek Isles with a side trip to Amman, Jordan to visit Petra).

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it…..