Consultants

Richard Beard, Senior Consultant

Mr. Richard Beard is a Senior Consultant with CEIS and has over 35 years’ experience in banking. He has held titles in the commercial banking industry as Senior Commercial Lending Officer, Senior Credit Officer, Commercial Loan Officer, and Credit Department Manager. Mr. Beard was formerly associated with Security Trust Company, Chemical Bank, and Rabobank International (Utrect, The Netherlands). His lending and management experience includes international as well as domestic portfolios.

Mr. Beard earned his Bachelor of Science degree from SUNY Genesco, then went on to take graduate courses at the University of London.

 


 

Bonnie Bernstein, Executive Consultant

Ms. Bernstein is an Executive Consultant and Field Reviewer with CEIS and has over 30 years’ experience in the bank industry. Ms. Bernstein is an experienced in underwriting commercial loans, evaluating proposed loans for credit risk, perform due diligence including industry analysis, market analysis, and property analysis. During her career, Mrs. Bernstein has held positions such as VP, Senior Underwriter, Develop and manage Real estate Portfolio, and Vice President Relationship Manger. Ms. Bernstein’s prior associations are with Peapack Gladstone Bank, Entrepreneur, Fleet Bank, and National Westminster Bank. Ms. Bernstein obtained her bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Hofstra University.

 


 

Harold F. Birk, Senior Consultant

Mr. Birk brings with him over 25 years of credit risk management experience. Mr. Birk’s prior associations were with Bank of New England, CIBC (New York), and Natixis. His diverse experience includes developing and managing structured credit portfolios, building multi-billion dollar loan books, origination, negotiating and managing down workout portfolios, determining loan-loss provisions, and implementing and leading growth plans.

Mr. Birk obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Boston College and his MBA from Northeastern University.

 


 

Robert J. Brandow, Senior Consultant

Mr. Brandow is a Senior Consultant and Field Reviewer with CEIS assessing the quality of loan portfolios. He has over 30 years’ experience as a banker and consultant.

His experience included managing asset-based lending relationships, mortgage financings and derivatives, structured finance, retail portfolios, criticized portfolios, and general commercial & industrial accommodation. He was formerly associated with Sun National (NJ), Sovereign Bank (NJ), GMAC Commercial Finance (NYC) Wells Fargo Retail Finance (Boston), Fleet Bank (Boston) and Sumitomo Bank (NYC).

 


 

Paul Gottwald, Director – Real Estate Review

Mr. Gottwald is Director – Real Estate Review with CEIS and has over 30 years’ experience in the commercial and mortgage banking industries as well as from his consulting activities. He has extensive experience in underwriting real estate transactions as well as in administering/managing significant loan portfolios. He has held positions in the commercial banking industry as Senior Vice President and in the real estate industry as Executive Vice President – Chief Financial Officer, and Investment Manager. He was associated with Deutsche Bank as consultant / CMBS underwriter and franchise loan underwriter. Previously, he was with Paine Webber, Skopbank Asset Management and separately with Skopbank New York Branch, Rossman-Danner Company in Florida, The Balcor Company in Illinois, and Chemical Bank in New York.

 


 

Ira “Tim” Hancock, Senior Reviewer

Mr. Hancock is a Senior Reviewer with over 35 years’ experience in banking. Tim is a banking professional with knowledge in all aspects of credit quality, credit approval and loan risk rating assessment. He has extensive experience in managing aspects of Credit Quality, Loan Restructuring, Special Asset Procedures, Underwriting guidelines, and SBA Lending.

Mr. Hancock has held positions in the commercial banking industry as SVP – Chief Risk Officer, Senior Credit Officer, Senior Lending Officer, Contractor/Consultant to the FDIC, and Member of the Special Assets Loan Committee. He was previously associated with Florida Bank, Progress Bank of Florida, Superior Bank, SunTrust Bank, Southern Commerce Bank, SouthTrust Bank, AmSouth Bank, Southeast Bank, and Sun Bank.

Mr. Hancock obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida. He has experience in developing Management Credit Training Programs and is Board Member and Treasurer of Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi, Inc., Board Member at the Florida International Museum, and Committee Member of the Advisory Board at Palladium Theatre.

 


 

Sally C. Harwood, Senior Review Consultant

Ms. Sally Harwood is a Senior Review Consultant providing loan review services primarily on the Consumer and Residential Mortgage segments of clients’ portfolios. Ms. Harwood has over 30 years of experience from her prior associations with money market and investment banks.

She has developed analytical tools for and conducted due diligence review of consumer and corporate assets, including automobiles, credit cards, business loans in the US, Mexico, and Canada. Her responsibilities included: risk management reviews addressing default and operational reviews to better assess a client’s true underwriting and collection abilities; credit score creation to standardize risk analysis across automobile clients; “soup to nuts” credit reviews for the FDIC, RTC, and private investors, including bidding, staffing, and project management; and structured client mortgage reviews.

Prior associations include Financial Security Assurance, Hanover Capital Partners, Inc., Citicorp Investment Bank, The Boston Company, and Chemical Bank. Ms. Harwood has held positions such as Director and Vice President at such institutions.

Ms. Harwood holds a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from The College of William and Mary and further went on to obtain a Master of Business Administration from The Colgate Darden Graduate School.

 


 

John Hurlock, Executive Consultant

John Hurlock is an experienced consultant with over 35 years of banking and consulting experience. The first 15 years of John’s career were spent working at community banks in various positions, including lending, financial management, operations, treasury services and regional management. This experience gave him first-hand knowledge of the risks faced by financial institutions and the methods to address these risks which he has been able to apply as a consultant to the financial institution industry.

For the past 20 years John has been consulting financial institutions in various areas of risk and risk management. This consulting has involved developing risk management programs and the implementation of key risk components, like modeling and leveraging data in risk based decision making. Understanding the purpose of models and how they are built has given John keen insight into the model validation process.

John has been actively involved with various modeling software including ALLL, ALM, Stress Testing, DFAST and BSA/AML. This involvement, which includes model validation, has resulted in John being recognized as a risk and modeling expert. He has written on model validation and has spoken at several national conferences including Sageworks, MST and Sungard/BancWare. His topics have included effective model validation, CECL and stress testing. With respect to the ALLL model, John has validated over 60 models for financial institutions ranging in size from $200 million to over $30 billion in assets. The validations have assisted organizations with improving their processes and the results have been accepted by both audit firms and financial regulators.

John received his MBA and undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin. He is an Adjunct Professor at Webster University’s MBA program, a trainer for EuroMoney Learning Solutions, and an active member of Global Association of Risk Management (GARP), Professional Risk Managers International Association (PRMIA) and the Risk Management Association (RMA).

 


 

John Keller,  Executive Consultant

Mr. Keller is an Executive Consultant and Field Reviewer with CEIs and has over 20 years’ experience in the banking industry. Mr. Keller is an experienced in senior loan underwriting, structuring, and syndications. Mr. Keller’s has expertise in complex credit analysis, cash flow modeling documentation, due diligence, compliance, and fundamental research. During his career Mr. Keller has held positions such as Senior Banker of Middle Market Commercial Banking, Senior Portfolio Manager, Middle Market& Large Credit Products Origination, Senior Relationship Manager, Middle Market Commercial Banking, Vice president of Strategic Marketing& Business Development, Assistant Vice President of Leveraged Finance Structuring & Syndications, Associate of Corporate Finance and Origination, Consultant of Portfolio Analysis & Financial Reporting, and Associate of Debt Capital Markets Origination. Mr. Keller’s prior associations are with Key Bank, HSBC Bank, GE Capital, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, HBP Partners, and BNP Paribas.

Mr. Keller obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Ithaca College, and an MBA in Finance and Information Systems from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business.

 


 

Peter Keller , Executive Consultant

Mr. Keller is an Executive Consultant and Field Reviewer with CEIS and has over 30 years’ experience in the banking industry. Mr. Keller is an experienced commercial lender, and private banking executive. Mr. Leprohon has held positions such as Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Founder, Director and President, Credit Officer, Chief of Staff to the Chief Financial Officer, Senior Credit Officer, and Commercial Loan Officer. Mr. Keller’s prior associations are with First National Bank, Citicorp Industrial Credit, Citibank, Citibank Private, USA Bank, Bank of New York Canaan, First Niagara Bank, and Key Private Bank.

Mr. Keller obtained his Bachelors’ degree in History from Lake Forest College, and MBA in Finance from Georgia State University.

 


 

Paul A. Leprohon , Senior Reviewer

Mr. Leprohon is an Executive Consultant and Field Reviewer with CEIS and has over 30 years’ experience in the banking industry. Mr. Leprohon has experience in managing construction loans, term loans, underwriting, and lines of credit. Mr. Leprohon has held positions such as Vice President, and Senior Vice President. Mr. Leprohon’s prior associations are with Bank United, Amalgamated Bank, RBS Citizens Bank, North Fork Bank, KTR Newmark Real Estate Services. Inc, National Bank of Canada, Chase Manhattan Bank, European American Bank, and East River Savings Bank.

Mr. Leprohon obtained his Bachelors’ degree in Finance from Franklin Pierce College.

 


Claudia J. Machaver, Executive Consultant

Ms. Machaver is an Executive Consultant with CEIS Review whose skillset primarily involves leveraged lending and structured finance review engagements as well as engagements involving complex commercial portfolios.

Claudia has over 25 years of commercial banking and securities experience from her career at JPMorgan Chase as well as her consulting work. While at JPMorgan Claudia has held positions such as; Managing Director and Group Head of Commercial Bank Financial Sponsors, handling leveraged transactions and banking capabilities to middle market equity sponsors and corporate clients, Managing Director of Commercial Bank Asset Securitization, and Chief Operating Officer of the Commercial Bank where she headed credit administration, established policies & procedures, and implemented corporate business strategies across the firm.

Claudia has served on the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity – New York City, the Advisory Council of Baruch College Continuing and Professional Studies, and the Investment Committee of Legal Services of New York.

Claudia holds a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley and an M.A. from Columbia University.

 


 

Paul Mangine, Executive Consultant

Mr. Mangine is an Executive Consultant and Field Reviewer with CEIS and has over 35 years’ experience in the banking industry. Mr. Mangine has accomplished loan workout and credit professional with extensive experience in banking and financial risk management, credit audit/ loan review underwriting, real estate and commercial loan recovery/ workout and restructuring, litigation, foreclosures, bankruptcy, and liquidations Mr. Mangine has held positions such as Vice President, Underwriter, Vice President, Special Credits Group/ Commercial Loan Recovery, Vice President, Credit Department Manager, Senior Vice President, Investment Banking, Vice President, Risk Management Review, and Senior Officer, Internal Auditing. Mr. Mangine’s prior associations are with JP Morgan Chase Bank, Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company, RH Damon & Company, and Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company.

Mr. Mangine obtained his Bachelors’ degree in Accounting from Marquette University, and his MBA in Finance from St. John’s University.

 


 

Robert Mathews, Senior Reviewer

Mr. Mathews is a Senior Reviewer with CEIS Review who has more than 30 years of commercial banking and finance experience. Mr. Mathews career has consisted of; loan portfolio and special asset management, global syndication loan origination and closing, and real estate portfolio management. Titles which he has held have been that of VP, Real Estate Syndications, Director, Real Estate, Healthcare, and Project Finance Loan Syndications, and VP, Global Syndicated Finance Credit & Lending. Mr. Mathews prior associations are with Chase Manhattan Bank, Barclays De Zoete Wedd, Redcliffe Capital Limited, and Commercial Industrial Finance Corporation.

Mr. Mathews obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Washington and Lee University, served in the United States Army, and went on to obtain his MBA from the University of Florida.

 


 

Mary Ellen Nixon Moore, Senior Consultant

Ms. Nixon-Moore is a Senior Reviewer with CEIS providing loan review and senior editing services for domestic portfolios. She has over 32 years of experience in the commercial banking industry. During her banking career, she has held the titles of Vice President of Underwriting, Vice President Senior New Business Development, and Vice President of the Factoring Division. She was formerly associated with Barclays American Commercial NC, Commercial Credit Financial Services, Marine Midland Bank, LaSalle Business Credit, Banco Popular, and Platinum Funding Group.

Ms. Nixon-Moore obtained a Bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University.

 


 

Dean T. Morgan, Regional Executive

Mr. Morgan is a Regional Executive with CEIS who has over 25 years of senior and executive level commercial banking experience and resides in Nashville, TN.

Dean’s career has included responsibilities as “Head” of a corporate banking department for a nationally recognized regional bank, establishing a comprehensive risk management framework and then managing the implementation of the program for a growth-oriented community bank, advising management and directors on recapitalization or wind-down options for an institution, identifying and evaluating acquisition targets for an international finance company, and presiding over two community banks where he was involved in most facets of everyday operations.

Some of the title designations which Dean has held have been SLO, Director of Credit, SVP – Corporate Banking, VP – Underwriting and Risk Management, and President & CEO. Mr. Morgan received his B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Marietta College – OH, and has an MBA in Finance from the University of New Haven, CT.

 


 

Victor Pene, Executive Consultant

Mr. Pene is an Executive Consultant and Field Reviewer with CEIS and has over 20 years’ experience in the banking industry. Mr. Pene is an experienced and effective credit practices manager with extensive expertise in risk governance and the assurance reviews of banks credit operation. During his career, Mr. Pene has held positions such as Director, Credit Examination of the Americas, Bank Examiner, Loans Administrator, Account Balancer, and Materials Manager. Mr. Pene prior associations are with MUFG Union Bank and New York State Banking Department.

Mr. Pene obtained his Bachelors’ degree in Industrial Management Engineering, with a Minor in Chemical Engineering from De La Salle University, and his MBA in Corporate Finance from Fordham University.

 


 

William Rooney, Senior Reviewer

Mr. Rooney is a Senior Reviewer with CEIS and has more than 35 years of experience in the commercial banking and securities industries. Mr. Rooney is an experienced credit risk manager and accountant. Mr. Rooney has held positions such as Audit Manager, Credit Manager, and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Rooney’s prior associations are with KPMG, Lehman Brothers Inc., Nomura Securities, and Platinum Funding Group.

Mr. Rooney graduated from St. Francis College with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He further went on to obtain his M.B.A in Controllership from St. John’s University.

 


 

Gerald Rosa, Senior Consultant

Mr. Rosa is a Senior Consultant with CEIS who has over 40 years’ experience in the commercial banking and asset-based finance industry. During his banking career, he has held titles of Senior Vice President, Senior Credit Officer, Corporate Manager of Asset Based Lending and Deputy Credit Manager.

Prior to joining CEIS, Mr. Rosa was affiliated with Sovereign/Santander Bank as a Senior Credit Officer and was formerly associated with CIT Group Business Finance, Barclays American Business Credit and Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company.

Mr. Rosa obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from Thomas Edison State University.

 


 

Jerome L. Rosen, Senior Reviewer

Mr. Jerome Rosen is a Senior Reviewer with CEIS and has over 35 years’ experience in banking. His expertise includes accounting, finance, and credit. He has held titles in the commercial banking industry as VP – Credit, VP – Capital Markets, Market Manager of Commercial Equipment Finance Group, Leasing Consultant, and EVP – Accounting & Finance. Mr. Rosen also has experience as an Accountant as well as being a Comptroller. Mr. Rosen was formerly associated with Wells Fargo Equipment Finance, Charter Financial, Inc., Sovereign Bank, and Somerset Capital Group.

Mr. Rosen acquired his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University, then went on to earn an MBA at Seton Hall University. He also holds a Master of Science degree in Taxation from Pace University.

 


 

Douglas Ruby, Senior Consultant

Mr. Ruby has over 30 years’ experience in commercial lending. He has extensive experience in portfolio management, due diligence, monitoring of large loan portfolios, loss mitigation and best practice underwriting standards including real estate and construction lending.

During his career, Mr. Ruby has held positions of Senior Vice President and Team Leader, Head of Real Estate Capital Markets, Director of Special Accounts, Vice President, and Senior Branch Manager. Prior to joining CEIS, Mr. Ruby was affiliated with Bank of Nova Scotia where he spent most of his career in positions of increasing responsibility and most recently with Sumitomo Mitsui.

Mr. Ruby obtained his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada and his MBA from the University of Western Ontario. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers (FICB).

 


 

Stewart Simon, Executive Consultant

Mr. Simon is an Executive Consultant and Field Reviewer with CEIS Review, Inc and has over 30 years of experience in the public and private sector financial services industry. Mr. Simon is an experienced state and local government debt, credit, and budget analyst, municipal government financial advisor, municipal bond insurance underwriter, and market researcher.  He is ‘Municipal Advisor’ registered with the MSRB and SEC. During his career, he has held senior level positions serving as a Director with UBS Financial Services, Managing Director with the Financial Guaranty Insurance Company, Assistant Commissioner for Fiscal Planning and Control with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, and Senior Budget Examiner with the New York State Division of the Budget.

Mr. Simon obtained his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from SUNY New Paltz, Master of Public Administration in Finance from SUNY Albany, and Ph.D. in Public Administration with a concentration in public finance and policy analysis form SUNY Albany.

 


 

Frank Sisinni, Senior Reviewer

Mr. Sisinni is a Senior reviewer with CEIS having 30 years of experience in regional, investment, and international and domestic commercial banking. During his career, Mr. Sisinni has been involved with credit analysis, underwriting, analytical team development, and portfolio risk management. Mr. Sisinni has held positions at Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co., Foreign Credit Insurance Association, and Barclays Bank/Barclays PLC/Barclays Capital.

Mr. Sisinni obtained an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and an MBA from New York University.

 


 

Christopher G. Webbe, Executive Consultant

Mr. Webbe is an Executive Consultant with CEIS and has over 30 years’ experience as a commercial banker and consultant. He provides loan review services for domestic and international portfolio segments.

Mr. Webbe was formerly associated with Park Avenue Bank in New York; Banco Rio de la Plata, New York Agency; Daiwa Bank Limited, New York; and Lloyds Bank Limited, New York Office and London Office. His career included responsibilities as Senior Credit Officer; manager and agent for Agency; Chief Inspector, and manager of lending functions. Mr. Webbe’s lending and management experience include international as well as domestic portfolios.

Mr. Webbe graduated from The Leys School, Cambridge, and Cambridge University (MA Honors). He is fluent in Spanish.

 


 

Cynthia Werneth, Senior Consultant

Ms. Werneth is a Senior Reviewer and has over 25 years’ experience from her association with CEIS and her time with prior organizations.

She has extensive rating agency and international corporate lending experience across economic and industry cycles. Prior associations included Standard & Poor’s (NYC), Bank Austria (Unicredit) (NYC and Vienna, Austria), Commerzbank (NYC and Paris, France), and Hessische Landesbank (Helaba) (NYC and Frankfurt, Germany).

Ms. Werneth is fluent in German and proficient in French. She holds a Bachelor degree from Syracuse University as well as an MBA from Columbia University. Ms. Werneth is also a CFA Charterholder.

 


 

John D. Weinshank, Executive Consultant

Mr. Weinshank has 25+ years of global banking experience with expertise in credit underwriting and trade finance. Throughout his career John has predominantly worked for international banks focusing on credit origination, structuring and underwriting. John’s most recent position was a managerial role as Head of Corporate Banking for China Construction Bank New York Branch (CCB). John has held positions with AP Moller Maersk, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and the Standard Bank Group.

John is well known in the Americas trade finance community and was appointed as a Board Member of the Association of Trade & Forfaiting in the Americas (ATFA) from 2010-2015 where he also served as President from 2011-2014. John was also appointed an advisory board position with Kyriba Corporation from 2011-2012, and has presented as a panelist and/or speaker at numerous trade finance conferences over the years.

John has an MBA with honors from Thunderbird School of Global Management. He is bilingual English/Spanish and conversant in Portuguese.


 

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