Speakers

Eric E. Stickels has over 30 years of experience in the banking industry serving as the President, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary of Oneida Financial Corp. (“Oneida Financial”) from May 2014 through the closing. He previously served as Executive Vice President, Secretary and Chief Financial Officer of Oneida Financial from April 2003 through May 2014. From December 1, 2011 to the closing, Mr. Stickels served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Oneida Savings Bank. Between January 2003 and December 1, 2011, Mr. Stickels served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Oneida Savings Bank. Mr. Stickels was appointed to the Board of Directors of Oneida Financial and Oneida Savings Bank in December 2013 and served as a member of their Asset/Liability, Trust Investment, Compliance, Information Technology, Officer Loan and Marketing Committees. Mr. Stickels has been Chairperson since January 2022.

Dimitar A. Karaivanov was appointed President & Chief Executive Officer in January 2024. Prior to being appointed President & CEO, Mr. Karaivanov served as Chief Operating Officer since October 2022. Mr. Karaivanov joined Community Financial System, Inc. in June 2021 as Executive Vice President of Financial Services and Corporate Development.

Prior to joining Community Financial System, Mr. Karaivanov served as Managing Director in Lazard’s Financial Institutions Group since June 2018. Prior to Lazard, he spent more than a dozen years in investment banking at a number of leading financial services firms after he began his career in public accounting. He has over 15 years of experience as an investment banker for banks, other financial institutions and fintech companies.

Mr. Karaivanov holds an MBA degree from The Ohio State University Max M. Fisher College of Business. He is also a graduate of the American Bankers Association's Stonier Graduate School of Banking.

Joseph E. Sutaris joined Community Bank N.A. in April 2011. He was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Community Bank N.A. and Community Financial System, Inc., Community Bank N.A.’s parent holding company in June 2018. Prior to being appointed as the Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Sutaris served as the Senior Vice President, Municipal Banking Director of Community Bank N.A. He has also served as the Senior Vice President and Regional Banking Executive for Community Bank N.A.'s Central New York Region.

Prior to joining Community Bank N.A., Mr. Sutaris served as the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary of The Wilber Corporation and its principal bank subsidiary, Wilber National Bank, based in Oneonta, New York. Prior to joining Wilber in 1995, Mr. Sutaris worked for a privately-held investment holding company from 1988 to 1994.

Mr. Sutaris holds BA and MBA degrees from Rutgers University, New Jersey. He is also a graduate of the American Bankers Association's Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Georgetown University, Washington D.C. and the New York Bankers Associate Graduate School of Management held at West Point New York Military Academy.

Jeffrey Levy was appointed Chief Banking Officer in January 2024. Prior to being appointed Chief Banking Officer, Mr. Levey served as SVP, President of Commercial Banking from January 2022 to December 2023. From June 2021 to December 2021, he served as SVP, Commercial Banking Sales Executive, from June 2019 to June 2021, he served as SVP, Regional President of Capital Region, and from January 2018 to June 2019, he served as SVP, Commercial Banking Team Leader. Prior to joining the Company, he served as the EVP and President of Commercial Banking at NBT Bank, N.A. from December 2006 to August 2016.

Paul Neveu has served as Chief Executive Officer of BPAS since January, 2021. Prior to this role, he served as President of BPAS from January, 2015 to December, 2020 and as SVP, National Director of Sales from January, 2010 to December 2014. He joined BPAS in July, 2005, serving as Vice President of Sales, focused on building partnerships with banks and trust nationally.

Prior to joining BPAS, Paul worked for Federated Hermes from July 1996 through June, 2005, servicing as Vice President, Sales and retirement plan wholesaler.  Neveu began his career in January, 1993 as a Consultant for PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP, working in the Boston office of the firm’s Human Resource Advisory Group.

Paul graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of New Hampshire, Paul College of Business and Economics, in December, 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a second major in Music Performance. He holds the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist Designation from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, as well as Series 7, 6 and 63 securities designations. Paul is a member of the Board of Managers of Alliance Benefit Group, a national consortium of retirement plan recordkeepers, third party administrators and actuarial firms. He is also a frequent speaker on industry topics, and has appeared nationally (and in Washington DC) to advocate for industry-specific issues. 

Pierre has over 35 years of experience in a broad range of insurance and risk management disciplines.  Beginning his career with Wausau's Insurance where he spent 11 years in various roles. During his tenure with Wausau Pierre grew his expertise in organizational development, operations automation, culture change, and risk management consulting.   Pierre continued his career with Naples Risk Management where he served as the Director of Risk Management and then at PMA Insurance and PMA Management Corp.  Pierre joined Bailey & Haskell insurance in 2003 with responsibility for growing the agency's commercial business. He quickly advanced to VP.  In 2010 Pierre was named President and oversaw the rebranding of a growing portfolio of business unit and services into what is now OneGroup.  He was named CEO in 2014.  Pierre has led  OneGroup's growth from $4M to what it is today with more than 250 employees spanning the east coast.  

Pierre holds a BSCHe in Chemical Engineering from Syracuse University

Michael Cerminaro joined Community Financial System, Inc. as President and Chief Executive Officer of Community Bank’s Wealth Management division in June of 2023.  As Head of the Wealth Management division he is responsible for the Company’s brokerage, trust, registered investment advisor, retirement plan consulting and financial planning areas.  Mr. Cerminaro also serves on the Community Connect leadership team connecting intra-company divisions across Community Financial System.

Prior to joining Community Financial System, Mr. Cerminaro worked for HSBC in a number of leadership capacities starting in 2006.  Most recently, as Managing Director and Market Head for the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Region and Head of US Ultra-High Net Worth for HSBC Private Bank USA.  Prior to HSBC, Mr. Cerminaro held sales, sales management and leadership positions at Citigroup Private Bank, Bank of America Private Bank and Strong Asset Management.  

Mr. Cerminaro holds a Bachelors in Business Administration from the University at Albany, State University of New York where he was Captain of the football team.  He carries a number of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) licenses including Series 7, 9, 10, 24, 63, 66 and participated in an Executive Education Program from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business in London. 

Daniel L. Bailey joined Community Financial System, Inc. in April 2023 serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer.

Prior to joining Community Financial System, Mr. Bailey was a consultant to financial institutions. Previously, he managed the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s (OCC’s) Syracuse, New York Field Office as the Assistant Deputy Comptroller for Community Financial Supervision. During his OCC career, he also served as the Director of Commercial Credit Policy in Washington, D.C. Prior to that role, he worked for KeyCorp Leasing, a commercial equipment lessor, as Vice President for Portfolio Management.

Mr. Bailey holds an MS in Accounting and a BS in Business from the University at Albany, State University of New York. He is also a CFA charterholder.