AboutAbout
Management Team
President and Chief Executive Officer
Maria P. Kunac, is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank. Ms. Kunac has spent 30+ years with Southern California headquartered financial institutions in roles including, Chief Lending Officer, Chief Internal Asset Review Officer, Chief Credit Officer, Special Assets Division Manager, and Commerical Real Estate and Construction Lending Manager/Training Coordinator. Ms. Kunac serves on the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's Twelved District's Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council. She also serves on the Board of Local Anitiatives Support Corp, a non-profit community development agency to transform distressed neighborhoods. A long-time resident of San Diego County, Ms. Kunac currently resides in La Jolla.
Chief Credit Officer
Steve Rippe, a Coronado resident is the Chief Credit Officer and a Director. Mr. Rippe organized Embarcadero Bank (Coronado First Bank) in 2005 and served as Chief Executive Officer until 2011. Mr. Rippe is graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Executive Vice President and Market President
Paul Azzi, Mr. Azzi brings over 15 years of local branch banking experience to San Diego Private Bank. He has been recognized as a top performing branch manager with experience in operations, lending, management, marketing and budgeting.
Mr. Azzi most recently served as Vice President for California Bank & Trust, managing its La Jolla Office where he was responsible for the management of a full-service retail branch focusing on private banking clients.
Mr. Azzi is a graduate of San Diego State University, receiving his B.S. in Economics. He is active in the San Diego community, currently serving as Board Chairman of SAY San Diego, Inc., an active member of the Blue Ryno Foundation, and is a graduate of LEAD San Diego.
Chief Financial Officer
Eric Larson, Mr. Larson has 26 years of bank financial management experience prior to joining San Diego Private Bank. Mr. Larson was most recently employed by San Diego National Bank for 24 years – the last 12 as Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer. In that role, he was a member of the Senior Management Committee and was responsible for accounting and financial reporting, risk management, procurement and facilities. He was a primary liaison with bank regulators and auditors. San Diego National Bank grew from $185 million to over $3 billion in Total Assets during Mr. Larson’s tenure. Mr. Larson began his career as a Bank Examiner with the Iowa Division of Banking. Mr. Larson holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Finance from Iowa State University. He has been active in the San Diego community and currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Academy of Finance at San Diego High School of Business.
Vice President and Private Banker
Kathy Gandolfo, Ms. Gandolfo is a private banker with over 26 years of banking experience in San Diego. She spent the majority of her career in the private banking group of Union Bank. Her responsibilities included marketing the bank's wealth management services and managing client relationships. She most recently held the position of Vice President/Branch Manager of California Bank & Trust's Kearney Mesa office where she oversaw operations, lending, and marketing for this denovo branch. During her tenure, she was awarded Manager of the Year for deposit and loan growth.
Ms. Gandolfo has been very involved in the San Diego Community, holding the following positions: past President of Little Sisters, a division of Big Brothers; Life Committee Member and Outstanding Volunteer of the annual Holiday Bowl; girls softball and young adult Special Olympics coach. She has also taught the fundamentals of banking through the Junior Achievement Program.
Senior Vice President, SBA Division Manager
Michael T. Valenti, Mr. Valenti has over 30 years of experience in SBA lending and commercial banking. During his career, he has funded over $200,000,000 in SBA loans. He holds a B.A. from Bloomsburg State University in Pennsylvania, PA and is a graduate from SW Graduate School of Banking Foundation at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas.
Senior Vice President, SBA Division Sales Manager
Brian J. McClendon, Mr. McClendon has over 22 years of experience in SBA lending and commercial banking. Brian has funded over $200,000,000 in SBA loans throughout his career. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration/Management from California State University, Bakersfield.
Senior Vice President, Market President of Newport Private Bank
Darlene Ryan, is an exeprienced banking professional who's expertise is in developing and maintaining relationships with entrepreneurs, businesses, professionals and high-net worth individuals.
Throughout Darlene's 30 year career, she has been well-regarded in the southern California market for her ability to assist clients with every banking need. Ranging from solutions to complex lending requests to designing customized deposit programs. Darlene believes in upholding Newport Private Bank's core values of creativity, integrity and flexibility during every interaction.
Darlene's enthusiasm for her job is evident, and she finds that a good amount of her business is generated by referrals. She realizes that businesses have many choices when it comes to initiating a banking releationship, so she believes in providing a special brand of customer service that sets her and Newport Private Bank, apart.
Prior to coming to Newport Private Bank Darlene served as the Regional President for CommerceWest Bank in Orange County.
Vice President, Relationship Manager
Rick M. Mercadefe, Mr. Mercadefe is a relationship manager that brings with him over 18 years of banking experience to Newport Private Bank. He is experienced in commercial and business lending with proficiency in private banking, management, and operations.
Mr. Mercadefe most recently served as Vice President / Relationship Manager for CommerceWest Bank at the Orange County Regional Office in Newport Beach, CA responsible for the management and development of client relationships through a special brand of client services that enhances their banking experience. Prior to that, he was a Relationship Manager at Inland Empire National Bank where he was an active member of Senior Credit Committee.
Mr. Mercadefe attended California State University of Fullerton, majoring in Business Administration and participated in the Titan Baseball Program. He is actively involved in Orange County with The Elite OC, previously served on a number of Advisory Boards and is a graduate of the Wells Fargo Business Academy.
Senior Vice President, Relationship Manager
Stephanie A. Juneau, Ms. Juneau has served the business community in Orange County for over 17 years, specializing in banking small to medium sized companies. She takes a strategic approach in identifying needs for business owners, drawing on expertise in lending, cash management, private banking and operations.
Ms. Juneau joins Newport Private Bank from CommerceWest Bank, where she was a Senior Vice President / Relationship Manager in the Orange County Regional Office. Prior to that, she was a Vice President / Senior Relationship Manager at California United Bank, responsible for business development and portfolio management of the Orange County de novo office. She began her career in the Commercial Banking Division of Wells Fargo.
Ms. Juneau's background includes a bachelor of arts in Economics and French Studies from College of St. Catherine, St. Paul MN. Ms. Juneau is also a graduate of Wells Fargo's Credit Management Training Program. She has had the honor of serving on numerous Advisory Boards in Orange County as well as being active in community organizations, such as the YMCA.
