Mr. Patel is the Lead Independent Director of the Company and the Bank. Mr. Patel is also the is the Chairman of our Compensation Committee and has served as a board member since the founding of the Bank in 2006. Mr. Patel is the Managing Member of Amrit & Sons I, LLC and Relax Hospitality, LLC, positions he has held since 1999 and 2010, respectively, and he is also an owner and operator of two hotels in Pensacola, Florida. He currently serves on the Days Inn Advisory Council and was elected to their Board of Directors in 2017 and currently serves as the Board Chairman. He also served as a director and treasurer of Visit Pensacola, Inc. from 2014 to 2016. In addition, he worked as a financial consultant at the Ayco Company from 1993 to 1997. Mr. Patel was educated in London at the City University where he graduated with honors in Economics and Accountancy. He also received a Master s Degree in Taxation from Georgia State University. Mr. Patel s extensive experience as a managing member of two commercial real estate companies brings to our board strategic and operational depth and experience as well as valuable perspective in the hospitality industry.