Ira Robbins

President & CEO of Valley National Bank

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  Ira joined Valley in 1996 as part of the Bank’s Management Associate Program and his twenty-plus year career at Valley has seen him through several key positions where he has helped shape our company’s growth and success. As CEO, Ira has led Valley into the future while keeping true to our roots as a local bank. Ira and the rest of Valley’s leadership team strive to create a stronger, faster, more efficient and more responsive organization. His vision for success is building a purpose-driven organization which includes embracing innovation, being customer-centric, promoting social responsibility, and empowering our associates.
    
  Ira earned his Bachelor’s degree from Susquehanna University, his MBA from Pace University and is a graduate of Stonier Graduate School of Banking. He is a Certified Public Accountant in New Jersey and a member of both the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Public Accountants. He serves on the board of the Jewish Vocational Service of MetroWest NJ (JVS), is on the Morris Habitat for Humanity Leadership Council and takes great pride in community outreach as an active supporter of several other philanthropic organizations in his community. He currently resides in New Jersey with his wife and four sons.

Robert J. Bardusch

Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

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  Bob joined Valley in 2016 and brings over two decades of financial leadership and expertise to his current role. He began his journey with Valley as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer and was promoted to COO in 2018. As COO, he plays a critical role working with Valley’s executive leadership team to deliver the bank’s strategic vision. Bob’s focus is on integrating platforms, improving service delivery and efficiency, and fostering innovation to support the bank in operating with the right balance of vision, quality, flexibility, control and cost. In addition to these responsibilities, he will continue to lead Valley’s digital transformation projects and all technology and operations-based aspects of the bank.
  
  Bob received a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in Information Systems and Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. He also serves as the Chairman of the advisory board for The Pennsylvania State University, College of Information Sciences and Technology, and on the board of The NJ Tech Council.

Alan D. Eskow

Senior Executive Vice President and Corporate Advisor

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  Alan joined Valley in 1990 as Vice President in the Financial Administration Department. He took on the positions of Controller in 1998 and Chief Financial Officer in 2000. Prior to joining Valley, he held the positions of Commercial Mortgage Broker at Residential Financial Corporation and Executive Vice President at Suburban Savings and Loan. Alan is a licensed CPA in New Jersey and manages all aspects of accounting, taxation, investments, investor relations and asset/liability management.
    
  Alan received a Bachelor of Arts in Business from Long Island University and attended the University of Pennsylvania’s Stonier School of Banking. Alan is a Certified Public Accountant in New Jersey and a member of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Public Accountants. He currently resides in Fairfield, New Jersey with his wife Lenore. They have three children.

Michael D. Hagedorn

Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

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  Michael joined Valley in 2019 as Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Valley, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of UMB Bank and Vice Chairman of UMB Financial Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri. Michael leads all key finance and capital market strategies while working closely with the Board and executive leadership team to define and execute all corporate plans and initiatives. He oversees financial reporting, business development, investor relations, planning and analysis, budgeting, investments, corporate treasury, product pricing, balance sheet management and wealth management.
    
  He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance with a minor in Accounting from Iowa State University. Michael is a graduate of the Wells Fargo College of Commercial Credit, the University of Michigan Ross School of Business Leadership Program, the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Executive Education Program and Harvard Business School’s Executive Education Program. Michael served on the boards of the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Kansas City Streetcar Authority, Kansas City Downtown Council, University of Kansas School of business and several other philanthropic organizations.
   

Tom Iadanza

Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer

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  Tom joined Valley in 2012 through the acquisition of State Bank of Long Island where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer. As Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer, he oversees all facets of Commercial and Consumer Lending, Customer Experience, Retail Banking and Corporate Strategy throughout Valley’s footprint in New Jersey, New York, Florida and Alabama. He is an accomplished leader in the financial services industry with over 40 years of banking experience.
   
  Tom is committed to delivering on Valley’s promise to give people and businesses the power to succeed. That means finding new ways to make banking easier, safer and more rewarding for customers. His focus on relevancy in banking is what drives innovation at Valley, providing a distinctive customer experience. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from St. John’s University. In addition to driving Valley’s key strategic pillars with relentless customer focus and deepening customer relationships, Tom is also committed to strengthening our communities. He currently serves as a Board Member at St. John’s Cemetery and New Ground.

Ronald H. Janis

Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel

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  Ron joined Valley in 2017 and is recognized as an expert in the fields of Bank and Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance. As the General Counsel, he is responsible for counseling senior management on several issues including acquisitions, federal securities law, regulatory matters and corporate governance.
   
  He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Harvard College and his Juris Doctor from the New York University School of Law. He has been a member of the Institute for International Bankers; the American Bar Association, Committee on Federal Regulations of Securities and Task Force on Governance Issues in Business Combinations; and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He served two terms on the Banking Law Section of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, and for the last 15 years has been a member of the Harvard College Associates Committee for his Harvard class. He is currently on the Vaughn College President’s Council Advisory.
   
  Ron is also an aviation enthusiast and private pilot. He obtained his pilot license in 2006 and owns his own Cessna 182T. He’s a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and flies about 150 hours a year.

Yvonne Surowiec

Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

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  Yvonne joined Valley in the fall of 2017 and brings more than 30 years of experience as a highly accomplished leader and human capital strategist. Prior to joining Valley, she held positions at CHRO for CDK Global, and ADP.
  
  As Valley’s CHRO, she leads the efforts to position Human Resources as a strategic pillar that enables Valleys vision, fosters a culture of progressive innovation and delivers on the employee experience. Yvonne oversees all human resources functions including talent acquisition and management, leadership development, total rewards, organizational design and training. As well as, HCM service delivery, which includes the HR solution center, HR information systems and payroll.
  
  Yvonne holds a bachelor’s degree and MBA from Seton Hall University. She holds certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) and Certified Benefits Professional (CBP). She is a member of the Advisory Board for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson and Union Counties.

Joseph V. Chillura

Executive Vice President and President of Commercial Lending for Florida & Alabama

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  Joe is the Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Retail and Business Banking Officer of Valley Bank. In this role, Joseph is responsible for the Branch Network, Business Banking, SBA, Treasury Solutions and the Concierge Group. Prior to Valley, Joe was CEO of USAmeriBank and in January 2018, when USAmeriBank was acquired by Valley Bank, he became a part of the Valley Management team as EVP and President of Commercial Lending for Florida and Alabama. As of November 2019, he was appointed the Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Retail and Business Banking Officer of Valley Bank.
   
  Joe earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida. He is a graduate of Jesuit High School and currently serves on the President’s Cabinet and is a member of the Jesuit Alumni Association. Additionally, he serves on the boards of Lowry Park Zoo and Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla. He is also a member of the Tampa Yacht and Country Club. He currently resides in Tampa, FL with his wife and four kids.

Mitchell Crandell

Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer

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  Mitch joined Valley in 2005 and served in various controllership roles until he became Chief Accounting Officer in 2010. Mitch began his career in the financial services practice of KPMG LLP, serving both large and small banking clients. Prior to joining Valley, he held various positions, including Head of Financial Reporting and Controller, at MB Financial, Inc. His expertise spans over 25 years and has been relied upon throughout Valley’s evolution.
   
  As Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, Mitch oversees the corporate accounting operations, accounting policy, and the internal and regulatory reporting for Valley and its subsidiaries. Mitch received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting with honors, from Michigan State University. He is a Certified Public Accountant in New Jersey and a member of the American Institute of Public Accountants.

Kevin Chittenden

Executive Vice President and Chief Residential Lending Officer

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  Kevin joined Valley in 2016 and brings over 30 years of extensive experience in the financial services industry, including retail banking management and consumer lending development. As Chief Consumer Lending Officer, Kevin is responsible for shaping the strategic vision of Valley’s vast consumer lending business including residential mortgage, home equity, auto lending, cash value line of credit (CVLC) and NY Metro Title Services business. Prior to this position, he served as a Vice President Regional Sales Manager for Wells Fargo. Kevin received a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Finance from Texas Tech University’s Rawls College of Business. He currently serves on Fannie Mae’s Risk Advisory Board.

Bernadette M. Mueller

Executive Vice President and Corporate Social Responsibility – CRA

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  Bernadette joined Valley over 20 years ago and is dedicated to building a culture that embraces corporate social responsibility while meeting the Bank’s commitment under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). Her overarching responsibilities include the planning and execution of philanthropic support and community development strategies and delivering solutions that help promote social and environmental change to fulfill the Bank’s commitment to its communities and employees.
   
  Bernadette is a graduate of New York University and a member of the American Bankers Association, New Jersey Banker’s Association and New York State Banker’s Association along with the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers.
    
  She serves on the Board of Directors of the New York Mortgage Coalition, Junior Achievement of North Jersey, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), Community Banker’s Collaborative Council and the Building Alabama Reinvestment (BAR) Council. Bernadette also sits on the Investors Committee for The Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey and is on the Community Development Board of the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey. Bernadette was recognized in March 2011 as an honoree in the Financial Services category for the Garden State Woman of the Year.

Mark Saeger

Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer

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  Mark joined Valley in 2015 as the Department Head of New York Commercial. Prior to joining Valley, he held the position of Managing Director of Credit at Santander Bank and has over 30 years of banking experience in the NY/NJ market working for in both Credit and Lending positions at Republic National Bank and Citibank. As the Chief Credit Officer, Mark is responsible for monitoring and managing the aggregate risk trends in the Bank’s loan portfolio. He develops enterprise-wide credit underwriting policies and procedures that support Valley’s strong credit culture and growth plans.
   
  He received a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in International Economics from Georgetown University and a Master of Business Administration Degree in Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Mark is an avid supporter of the Arts and has been active in Fund Raising for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids and sits on the Audit Committee for NJPAC.

Melissa F. Scofield

Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer

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  As Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer, Melissa is an active member of the Executive Management team. Melissa joined Valley in 2015 where she works collaboratively with the leadership team in developing and driving the strategic direction of the bank and ensuring the bank operates within the Board of Directors’ approved risk appetite. She is responsible for managing several independent control functions, including enterprise-wide Risk Management, AML Compliance, Corporate Fraud Investigations & Security, Information Security, Loan Review and Regulatory Compliance. She ensures appropriate risk governance and reporting to both the Executive Risk Committee, which she Chairs, and the Board Risk Committee. She provides executive support on risk and regulatory matters to the Chairs of the Board Risk Committee and the Board Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
   
  Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from Rutgers University. She is an active member of the Midsize Bank Coalition of America and is on the Board of Trustees of the Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey (SHA), a state-wide, non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and maintain a strong supportive housing industry in NJ serving people with special needs.