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Executive Officers
Li Yu Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Li Yu has been Preferred Bank’s Chief Executive Officer since 1993 and was the bank's President from 1993 to August 2012. From December 1991 to the present, he has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors. From 1987 to 1991, he was involved in several privately held companies of which he was the owner. From 1982 to 1987, he served as Chairman of the Board of California Pacific National Bank, which became a part of Bank of America. Mr. Yu received a Masters of Business Administration, or MBA, from the University of California, Los Angeles. He was also the past President of the National Association of Chinese American Bankers, and is currently a member of the Board of Visitors of UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Management.
Edward J. Czajka Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Czajka has been Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since 2006 and was promoted to Executive Vice President in 2008. Before joining Preferred Bank, Mr. Czajka was Chief Financial Officer of Presidio Bank, a San Francisco-based bank that was then in organization. Prior to this, Mr. Czajka was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of North Valley Bancorp, (Nasdaq: NOVB) a publicly-traded multi-bank holding company located in Redding, California. From 1994 through 2000, Mr. Czajka held the position of Vice President, Corporate Controller for Pacific Capital Bancorp (Nasdaq: PCBC) in Santa Barbara, California. Mr. Czajka graduated Summa Cum Laude from Capella University with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and is a graduate of the Bank Administration Institute Graduate School of Banking at Vanderbilt University.
Lucilio M. (“Louie”) Couto Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer
Mr. Couto has been Senior Vice President and Special Assistant to the Chairman. On February 22, 2010 Mr. Couto was appointed Executive Vice President and on August 9, 2011 was appointed Chief Credit Officer. Before joining Preferred Bank he served in senior management positions at two other Southern California financial institutions including Vineyard Bank, NA. Mr. Couto served as the Chief Risk Officer of Vineyard Bank from July 2007 to April 2009 and Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer from September 2008 to April 2009. Prior to joining Vineyard Bank, Mr. Couto spent 16 years working for the FDIC in a variety of positions, including most recently as Senior Risk Management Examiner. He has expertise in risk management, regulatory compliance, credit analysis and financial statement analysis. Mr. Couto received his Bachelor’s degree of finance from California State University San Bernardino in 1991 and graduated from the University of Wisconsin’s Graduate School of Banking in 2004.
Wellington Chen President and Chief Operating Officer
Wellington Chen has been the Bank’s President since August 2012 and its Chief Operating Officer since August 2011. Prior to joining Preferred Bank, Mr. Chen was Executive Vice President and Director of Corporate Banking for East West Bank in Pasadena, California where he oversaw a significant portion of the loan and deposit production activities. Prior to that, he was Senior Executive Vice President and a Director of Far East National Bank in Los Angeles.
Board of Directors
Li Yu Chairman
Li Yu has been Preferred Bank’s Chief Executive Officer since 1993 and was the bank's President from 1993 to August 2012. From December 1991 to the present, he has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors. From 1987 to 1991, he was involved in several privately held companies of which he was the owner. From 1982 to 1987, he served as Chairman of the Board of California Pacific National Bank, which became a part of Bank of America. Mr. Yu received a Masters of Business Administration, or MBA, from the University of California, Los Angeles. He was also the past President of the National Association of Chinese American Bankers, and is currently a member of the Board of Visitors of UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Management.
Clark Hsu Vice Chairman
Mr. Hsu has been President of Microtek Lab, Incorporated, a U.S. subsidiary of a Taiwanese publicly-traded company, since 2000. Microtek Lab specializes in the design, manufacture and distribution of digital imaging products for consumer and commercial applications. From 1999-2000, Mr. Hsu served as Vice-President, Special Projects for Microtek Lab and from 1997-1999 was the Director of Product Development and Marketing for Microtek Lab. Mr. Hsu received a Bachelors Degree form the University of Pennsylvania in 1992 and a MBA Degree from the UCLA Anderson School of Business in 1997.
J. Richard Belliston
J. Richard Belliston. Mr. Belliston has been Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of MoneyLine Lending Services since 2001, following the merger of Tokai Bank of California and Sanwa Bank. Previously, Mr. Belliston served as Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of Tokai Bank of California. Mr. Belliston is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the AICPA and California Society of CPA’s. Mr. Belliston received a Bachelors of Science degree from Brigham Young University.
William C. Y. Cheng
William C.Y. Cheng. Mr. Cheng has been President of H & C Industries, Inc. since 1974. H & C Industries is engaged in the export, import and distribution of chemical products. Mr. Cheng received a MBA Degree from USC and a Masters Degree in engineering systems from UCLA. Mr. Cheng was one of our founding shareholders.
Ching Hsing Kao
Mr. Kao is Executive Vice President and Branch Manager of the Los Angeles branch of Shanghai Commercial Bank, LTD of Hong Kong. Mr. Kao has over 22 years of experience in banking, having also served with the Bank of Canton in managerial positions from 1988 to 1997. Mr. Kao received his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Tunghai University in Taiwan, his Masters of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of California Santa Barbara and his MBA from the University of Chicago. Mr. Kao brings a wealth of knowledge and skills attained throughout his career in the banking industry, specifically in commercial lending as well as a deep, broad-based knowledge of the Chinese business community. Mr. Kao serves on the Audit committee and the loan committee.
Gary S. Nunnelly
Gary S. Nunnelly. Mr. Nunnelly has been President of American Thermoform Corporation, a company engaged in the import and manufacture of equipment and supplies for the visually impaired, since 1985. He spent several years at Union Bank during the earlier stage of his career. Mr. Nunnelly received a Bachelors of Science Degree in accounting from USC. Mr. Nunnelly was one of Preferred Bank’s founding shareholders and one of Preferred Bank’s initial directors.
Kenneth T. Wang
Mr. Wang is Information Technology Officer with All Season Resources, Inc. a fresh fruit exporter. Mr. Wang was a Certified Public Accountant with over 24 years of business experience, primarily in financial functions. Mr. Wang’s career included working for Ernst & Young as an Audit Manager and he has held controller and internal auditor positions with various companies. Mr. Wang’s accounting experience, both from the public accounting perspective and his experience as an internal auditor and controller will enhance the financial acumen of the board. Mr. Wang received his Bachelors of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. Mr. Wang serves on the audit committee and the investment committee.
Chih-Wei Wu
Chih-Wei Wu. Mr. Wu has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Hsinchu International Bank in Taiwan since 1996. Hsinchu Bank currently has total assets of approximately $15 billion, and is publicly traded on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. Prior to that he was Executive President, Commercial Banking of Hsinchu Bank from 1990. Mr. Wu received a MBA Degree from Chico State University and a Bachelors Degree from Tung-Wu University in Taiwan. Both Mr. Wu and Hsinchu International Bank were Preferred Bank’s founding shareholders.
