To read this year’s Top 30, click the links below:
To read the rest of the ROI Influencers: Power List 2021, click here.
James Andreacci
Market president
BB&T/Truist
Andreacci oversees the development and growth of the whole New Jersey market as the market president. Has been committed to small business and middle-market clients for more than a decade.
Linda Bowden
Outgoing regional president
PNC Bank
She’s heading into retirement, but she’s still the board chair at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce — and she’s still a person that anyone would take a call from. And she’s still an all-time great business leader in the state.
Tom Comiskey
Regional president
M&T Bank
M&T’s presence in the state, already on the rise, increased even more with its efforts during Paycheck Protection Program loans. Few banks handled more applications — or had a higher success rate.
Kevin Cummings
CEO
Investors Bank
He’s not just a great banker, he’s a great leader. Investors has long been committed to the state as a lender and as a partner in building companies and communities.
Enrico Della Corna
Regional president
PNC
He’s been prepped and ready for the top job — at one of the state’s most important banks — for years. Known as a good guy to work with and to work for.
Pete Dontas
New Jersey market executive
Wells Fargo
Dontas is a steady presence in the business banking world, responsible for leading five regional commercial banking offices that focus on expanding business throughout the state.
Gilles Gade
CEO
Cross River Bank
Fintech made big news when it processed more than 100,000 Paycheck Protection Program loans.
Alberto Garofalo
New Jersey market president
Bank of America
The pandemic has not prevented the gregarious Garofalo from finding ways to connect with the business community and key business leaders.
Vernon Hill
Chairman
Republic Bank
Well-known South Jersey banker recently donated $350,000 to help inspire the next generation of science, technology, engineering and math students in Camden. That’s community involvement.
Thomas Kemly
CEO
Columbia Bank
Kemly is the longtime leader of one of the top business banks in the state — and a longtime leader at the New Jersey Bankers Association.
Doug Kennedy
CEO
Peapack-Gladstone Bank
Peapack-Gladstone is a go-to spot for high net worth folks in New Jersey, thanks to Kennedy, who has meticulously picked out some top industry leaders for his team.
Bob Koar
Senior managing director
Sterling National Bank
His leadership has helped Sterling National Bank become a go-to bank for small and family businesses in New Jersey.
Rodger Levenson
Chair, CEO
WSFS
Service. Everyone in the industry talks about it. WSFS (“we stand for service”) has it in its name. It’s a daily call to action for a bank that has been around since 1832.
Elizabeth Magennis
President
ConnectOne Bank
She oversees the growth and strategic direction of bank. In her 14 years with the company, she has been a key player in the Company’s record organic growth, robust loan portfolio and superior client experience that supports small businesses across the state.
Chris Martin
CEO
Provident Bank
How’s this for growth: In the middle of the pandemic, Provident completed a merger with SB One, creating a bigger and better bank.
Wayne Meyer
President
N.J. Community Capital
The Equitable Small Business Initiative, in which NJCC partners with the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, is strong example of influence CDFIs can have in underserved communities.
Ira Robbins
CEO
Valley Bank
Robbins provides a steady hand for well-known bank that has been serving the business community for decades.
Thomas Shara
CEO
Lakeland Bank
Lakeland has long had a strong business presence for small and midsize customers. Shara is now the chairman of NJ Bankers.
Jacob Walthour
CEO
BluePrint Capital Advisors
Co-founded what he has grown into one of the nation’s largest Black-managed financial advisory firms and, from the platform, is tireless in promoting the need for more diversity in finance — including suing Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration for not opening the state’s investment arm to more firms of color.
