Sector: Financials
Director information for COMMUNITY FINANCIAL SYSTEM INC (data for year 2026)
| Name | Position | Age | Qualifications and Experience | Committee Memberships | Filing Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brenda M. Hall | Director | 55 | ["former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Standard Lines at Selective Insurance Group, Inc.", "distinguished 24-year career marked by progressive advancement and increasing leadership responsibilities", "oversaw the company\u2019s largest business segment", "expertise in enterprise strategy, public company oversight, risk management, customer service, and regulatory compliance"] | ["Risk", "Risk Committee"] | 2026 |
| Dimitar A. Karaivanov | President and Chief Executive Officer | 44 | ["President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank", "Executive Vice President of Financial Services and Corporate Development", "Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer", "Managing Director in Lazard\u2019s Financial Institutions Group", "Experience as an investment banker for banks and financial institutions", "MBA degree from The Ohio State University Max M. Fisher College of Business", "Graduate of the American Bankers Association\u2019s Stonier Graduate School of Banking"] | [] | 2026 |
| Eric E. Stickels | Chair of the Board | 64 | ["over 40 years of experience in the banking industry", "former President and Chief Operating Officer of Oneida Financial Corp.", "significant knowledge and experience relating to bank operations", "experience with financial and risk management", "audit committee financial expert"] | ["Asset/Liability", "Trust Investment", "Compliance", "Information Technology", "Loan", "Marketing", "Stress Testing Subcommittee"] | 2026 |
| Jeffery J. Knauss | Director | 40 | ["Co-founder and CEO of Arcovo AI", "Former CEO and co-founder of Digital Hyve", "Experience in digital marketing and technology development", "Investor in various businesses", "Active community member and board member of several organizations"] | ["Governance", "Risk", "Trust", "Governance Committee", "Risk Committee", "Trust Committee"] | 2026 |
| John A. Vaccaro | Chairman Emeritus | 55 | ["extensive experience in wealth management", "insurance", "business strategy", "financial oversight", "regulatory compliance"] | ["Trust", "Trust Committee"] | 2026 |
| John F. Whipple, Jr. | Director; Chair | 70 | ["Chief Executive Officer of Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, P.C.", "Certified public accountant with over 40 years of experience", "Expertise in corporate finance, accounting, and public company financial statements", "Determined to be an audit committee financial expert"] | ["Governance", "Audit", "Executive", "Audit Committee", "Governance Committee"] | 2026 |
| John Parente | Chief Executive Officer; Chair | 59 | ["broad expertise in various executive and management positions", "significant banking experience as a founding director of a bank", "management, business, finance, and risk management expertise", "insights into economic opportunities in Northeast Pennsylvania", "familiarity with challenges and risks of operations"] | ["Trust (Chair)", "Executive", "Governance", "Governance Committee", "Trust Committee"] | 2026 |
| Kerrie D. MacPherson | Director; Chair | 67 | ["Formerly a senior partner of Ernst & Young, LLP", "Extensive experience in the financial services sector", "Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario", "Recognized by Consulting Magazine\u2019s Women in Leaders in Consulting", "Received Consulting Magazine\u2019s 2015 Excellence in Leadership Award", "Expertise in accounting, finance, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory oversight", "Cyber-Risk Oversight Certification issued by the National Association of Corporate Directors", "Audit committee financial expert under SEC rules"] | ["Risk", "Audit", "Executive", "Governance", "Audit Committee", "Governance Committee", "Risk Committee"] | 2026 |
| Mark J. Bolus | President and Chief Executive Officer | 60 | ["30 years of management and business experience", "extensive management and business experience", "insight into the economic and business environment in Upstate New York and Northeast Pennsylvania", "considerable experience in real estate matters"] | ["Compensation", "Executive", "Trust", "Trust Committee"] | 2026 |
| Michele P. Sullivan | Director; Chair | 63 | ["Retired partner of Crowe LLP", "30+ years of experience in consulting services for the financial services sector", "Specialized in risk, compliance, internal audit, technology, strategic acquisitions, merger integration, and governance", "Certified public accountant (CPA)", "Directorship Certification from the National Association of Corporate Directors", "Audit committee financial expert under SEC rules", "Audit Committee Financial Expert"] | ["Audit (Chair)", "Executive", "Risk", "Audit Committee", "Risk Committee"] | 2026 |
| Neil E. Fesette | President and Chief Executive Officer | 60 | ["President and Chief Executive Officer of Fesette Realty, LLC", "Expertise in the real estate market in Upstate New York", "Insights into key geographic markets for financial service and banking", "Corporate governance expertise", "Human capital and succession planning expertise"] | ["Executive", "Audit", "Compensation", "Audit Committee"] | 2026 |
| Raymond C. Pecor, III | President | 57 | ["Over 15 years of experience in the banking industry", "Former member of Merchants Bank\u2019s Board of Directors", "Former member of Merchants Bancshares, Inc. Board of Directors", "Experience in Audit, Compensation and Governance Committees", "Chair of Loan Committee", "Entrepreneurial experience in development projects", "Expertise in commercial lending and project finance", "Crisis response, leadership and risk management experience", "Understanding of the Vermont market and its industries"] | ["Governance", "Risk", "Governance Committee", "Risk Committee"] | 2026 |
| Sally A. Steele | Director | 70 | ["Retired attorney", "Extensive experience in legal practice with businesses in Northern Pennsylvania", "Experience in natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale region", "Frequent presenter at BankDirector conferences", "Inclusion in the 2019 WomenInc.\u2019s Most Influential Corporate Directors", "Former Chair of the Board from January 2017 through December 2021", "Former Lead Director from January 2022 through May 2023", "More than 30 years of service as a director of national banks and banking holding companies", "Significant mergers and acquisition experience", "Experience chairing Governance Committee and Executive Committee", "Member of Audit, Compensation, Risk, and Trust Committees"] | ["Compensation", "Trust", "Trust Committee"] | 2026 |
| Savneet Singh | Chief Executive Officer and President | 42 | ["expertise in public companies", "venture capitalism", "entrepreneurship", "digital technology", "artificial intelligence", "mergers and acquisitions"] | ["Compensation", "Risk", "Risk Committee"] | 2026 |
