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Senior Management
John L. Wagner President and Chief Executive Officer, Washington Banking Company
Mr. Wagner is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and formerly of the Bank. He previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Bank. He joined the Bank in 1999 as Senior Vice President and Regional Manager in Whatcom County. In 2002, Mr. Wagner was selected to oversee branch administration and was promoted to COO in 2004. Mr. Wagner has an extensive background in banking and international finance as well as comprehensive administrative experience as former President of Bank of Washington in Bellingham, Washington.
Richard A. Shields Jr. Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Shields is an Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company and the Bank. Mr. Shields joined the Bank in 2004 and has over 20 years of experience in various accounting-related positions with Pacific Northwest-based banks. Most recently, he was the Vice President and Controller at a community bank that grew substantially both organically and through multiple acquisitions.
Bryan McDonald President and Chief Executive Officer, Whidbey Island Bank
Mr. McDonald was promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank as of 1/1/2012. He joined the Bank in 2006 as Commercial Banking Manager and served as Chief Operating Officer since 2010. Mr. McDonald has nearly 20 years of managerial experience in various sales, credit, operations, commercial banking and residential real estate areas. Before joining the team at Whidbey, he was Snohomish and King County Business Group Manager where he was responsible for developing all aspects of Peoples Bank’s commercial banking operation in King and Snohomish County.
Daniel E. Kuenzi Executive Vice President & Chief Credit Officer
Mr. Kuenzi took over as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit
Officer on January 1, 2012 following the retirement of Joseph Niemer.
Mr. Kuenzi started with Whidbey Island Bank in 2007 as a Commercial
Banking Team Leader, then a Region Manager, and transitioned into the
role of Senior Credit Administrator in 2010. Mr. Kuenzi has accumulated
23 years of commercial credit, lending, and management experience
through his positions at Wells Fargo Bank, Washington Mutual Bank, US
Bank and Whidbey Island Bank.
George W. Bowen Executive Vice President & Chief Banking Officer
Mr. Bowen was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Banking
Officer effective 1/1/2012. His responsibilities include overseeing
retail, mortgage, and commercial customer-related business lines. He has
over 40 years experience in commercial lending, retail banking, and
various management positions. Mr. Bowen has an MBA from Western
Washington University. Prior to joining Whidbey Island Bank in 2010, Mr.
Bowen was Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at a
bank in Whatcom County, a position he held from 1996 to 2010.
Edward Eng Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer
Mr. Eng was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief
Administrative Officer effective 1/1/2012 and has responsibility over
the Bank's backroom support functions and project management. Mr. Eng is
a CPA with an MBA from the University of Washington. In addition to
experience in public accounting, he has 22 years of banking experience
covering accounting, finance, technology, M&A, loan operations, and
compliance. Mr. Eng was the Division Finance Officer within the
commercial banking group of Washington Mutual from 2005 to 2009. He
worked as an independent consultant during 2009 and 2010. The Bank
engaged him for consulting services in 2010 prior to Mr. Eng accepting
the FDIC Loss Share Reporting and Accounting Manager position with the
Bank in December 2010.
Board of Directors
Anthony B. Pickering Chairman
Mr. Pickering has been the owner of Max Dale’s Restaurant since 1983 and of Stanwood Grill since 2001. Mr. Pickering is a past-President of the Skagit Valley Hospital Foundation and previously served as a Trustee for the Washington State University Foundation Board of Trustees. Mr. Pickering currently serves as Chairman of the Board of WBCO and the Bank.
Mark D. Crawford
Mr. Crawford, a resident of Stanwood WA, is the President of Smokey Point Concrete, Inc., a position he has held since 1986. He served on the Washington Aggregate & Concrete Association Board and is an Advisory Board member for Youth Dynamics - Arlington WA. Mr.Crawford has additional experience in board and committee service for other local entities and he holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management from Portland State University.
Jay T. Lien
Mr. Lien is the President of Saratoga Passage LLC (formerly known as Dan Garrison, Inc.), a real estate company, since 1986. Mr. Lien served as Chairman of the Board of WBCO and the Bank from September 1998 until April 2001.
Gragg E. Miller
Mr. Miller resides in Bellingham, WA and is the Principal Managing Broker of Coldwell Banker Bain. Mr. Miller was the President of Coldwell Banker Miller-Arnason, a position he held since 1978 until the company merged with Coldwell Banker Bain in 2011. Miller holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Washington. He has attended numerous professional institutes in the real estate field and was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Whatcom County Board of Realtors in 2006.
Robert T. Severns
Mr. Severns has been in the title insurance business for nearly 40 years. Since 1999, he has been the President of Chicago Title Insurance Company/ Island Division, Oak Harbor. He served on the Island Title Company Board of Directors for 15 years and is currently Chairman of the Board for Land Title of Kitsap and Mason Counties. Mr. Severns serves as an Oak Harbor City Council member. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Administrative Management from Central Washington University, and has varied experience in board and committee memberships at local and state levels. Mr. Severns brings to the board a specialized knowledge of the title insurance industry, extensive community involvement, and a considerable amount of experience as a director.
John L. Wagner
Mr. Wagner is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and formerly of the Bank. He previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Bank. He joined the Bank in 1999 as Senior Vice President and Regional Manager in Whatcom County. In 2002, Mr. Wagner was selected to oversee branch administration and was promoted to COO in 2004. Mr. Wagner has an extensive background in banking and international finance as well as comprehensive administrative experience as former President of Bank of Washington in Bellingham, Washington.
Rhoda L. Altom
Ms. Altom is a real estate investor and manager and has been the President and Managing Member of Milestone Properties and Milestone Managers since 1984. Her company specializes in the acquisition and property management of commercial, retail, apartment, and land projects which are held in partnerships to own and operate properties in the Puget Sound area. A resident of Seattle, Ms. Altom holds a BS degree in Engineering - Construction Management from Washington State University and an Executive Masters in Business Administration from the University of Washington. She is a founder and trustee of several philanthropic associations, including the YWCA Endowment Guild, Washington Women’s Foundation, and Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Fund & PBTRF Guild at Children’s Hospital. Ms. Altom received an Alumni Achievement Award from WSU in 2009. Ms. Altom’s business acumen and strategic management skills, together with her broad experience serving on various boards and committees, bring strong operational and financial experience to the Board.
Deborah J. Gavin
Ms. Gavin was employed by the Boeing Company for over 20 years and retired from the position of Vice President of Finance and Controller in 2010. Ms. Gavin served as an Undergraduate and Graduate Adjunct Accounting Faculty with City University, Seattle and was a Management Consultant for Deloitte. Prior to her employment with Boeing, Ms. Gavin was a Special Agent with the US Department of Treasury. Ms. Gavin is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Washington. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from the State University of New York College at Buffalo and an MBA in Finance from Seattle University. Ms. Gavin is currently a board member of the Washington Business Alliance. Her extensive financial background, leadership skills, and depth of public company knowledge provide the Board and Audit Committee with valuable expertise.
