>> Well as chairman, the role is really to manage the board
and manage the strategic direction with the CEO for the company.
So as I've said, we've grown to a billion dollars in just short of 8 years.
We also started with a wealth management business of 400 million.
The key to the chairman's role in working with and managing the board has helped them
to understand directionally what the strategy is and where you're going.
We only turned profitable 2 years ago because our decision was
to maximize the footprint as soon as possible.
In other words, invest and forgive or not forgive but not take earnings immediately.
So we went 6 years before we broke even but during that 6 years, we built 13 offices,
expanded the company to a billion dollars in size, and even through the downturn
as we've been through for the last several years,
we were able to grow our loan portfolio to almost 700 million.
And, you know, again the strategy of the chairman is to work with the board
and help the board understand directionally where we want to go and of course,
take input from the board when they want to give it.
And have that process of exchanging information.
Our board is made up of a variety of different folks.
We have 2 private equity investors on the board.
These are very experienced, well knowledgeable people about --
maybe not about banking as much as they are about the business community.
They've been huge supporters of our growth.
They've helped us grow.
Originally we raised 55 million in capital.
The largest capital raised ever for a start up bank in the national banking system.
We subsequently raised another 50 million.
So we're well capitalized.
We've had good results and now we've turned to moving the company from growth to earnings.
And so again, that process of working with the board, of working with the management team,
and ensuring -- you know when you get right down to it, the whole issue today is about risk.
And so what the board does and what I do as chairman of the board is ensure
or work with management to ensure that our risk is acceptable risk.
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