Meet Our Chairman and Board Members
Leadership That Drives Impact
Tom Vertin, CEO
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Tom Tolda, CFO
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Rudolph Garcia, CCO
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Sanjay Mody, COO
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Sundar Padmanabhan, Director of IT
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Jessica Zimmerman, Managing Director - Business Development
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Max Cote, Managing Director - Business Development
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Steven Chang, MD, FAANS, MBA, CFP
Dr. Chang has extensive experience in finance, real estate, and venture capital. He currently serves as Managing Partner at Blue Pacific Capital LLC and 3LA Ventures LLC, both of which consist of real estate and venture capital funds. Prior to this Dr. Chang was a Managing Partner at an equity securities broker/dealer responsible for corporate strategy, business development, investor relations, and operations.
Dr. Chang is a Certified Financial Planner and has an active California real estate license. Dr. Chang is a Professor of Neurosurgery at Stanford University where he earned his MD, a BS in Biology with Honors, and an AB in Quantitative Economics with Honors. Dr. Chang also has an executive MBA from Pepperdine University.
Sanjeev Khagram, PhD
Dr. Khagram is a world-renowned scholar and practitioner in the areas of globalization, sustainable development, leadership, strategic management, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. He has been a serial entrepreneur and investor across the private, governmental and civic sectors having founded ventures such as Innovations for Scaling Impact, the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, and the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre prior to Altos Bank. He has spent the other half of his career in premier higher education institutions including Stanford, Harvard and most recently as Director-General and Dean of the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.
Dr. Khagram is currently a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University's Technology Venture Program, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Center for Sustainable Development and Global Competitiveness, and Hoover Institution. He is also an Executive-In-Residence at the Plug and Play Technology Center. He completed all his degrees (undergraduate, graduate and doctorate) from Stanford University. He was recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2008 among many other awards and honors.
Shih-Wei Peng
Mr. Peng is an Associate Director at Stanford University’s Office of Development facilitating relationships and donor opportunities with international alumni. Prior to Stanford, Mr. Peng had an extensive career in investment management in Hong Kong and San Francisco. He served as Managing Director at Man Group plc and Point72 Asset Management, and spent 9 years as a Principal at Quellos Group and a Managing Director at its successor, BlackRock Inc. His career started with Goldman Sachs and Bank of America. Mr. Peng is currently a Trustee at The Branson School and on the Advisory Board at The Eaglebrook School. Previously, Mr. Peng served on the Board at The American Club in Hong Kong.
Mr. Peng holds BA degrees in Economics and English with Honors from Stanford University.
John Rossell III
Mr. Rossell has 27+ years of commercial banking experience, 20 of which as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), including Founding President and CEO and Director of the following 3 banks: California Bank of Commerce (2007-2012); Santa Cruz County Bank (2004-2006); and Heritage Bank of Commerce (1993-2000). Previously, Mr. Rossell served as Senior Credit Officer for Silicon Valley Bank. Prior to this, he was Vice President in Wells Fargo’s San Francisco Corporate Banking Group and as President of Wells Fargo, Canada.
Mr. Rossell holds a BA in English and a MBA from the University of Virginia.
Mark Tribbitt, PhD
Dr. Tribbitt is a tenured professor of strategic management at Pepperdine University. Prior to pursuing a career in academia, Mark spent 14 years in the financial services industry in various leadership positions. Most recently, he was Vice President of Operations for JP Morgan, managing servicing and trading of a $350 billion mutual fund portfolio. Prior to that, he served as a Manager at MBNA from 1995 to 1999.
Dr. Tribbitt has an MBA from Villanova University and a PhD in Business Administration and Management from Drexel University.
Karl-Heinz Lachnit, JD
Karl-Heinz Lachnit is an attorney specializing in mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt financing, corporate governance, and securities law compliance. He advises management groups, board of directors and investors in complex transactions, and developing and executing their business strategies. He has worked on over 250 mergers and acquisitions and securities transactions, ranging from several million dollars to more than five hundred million dollars. In addition, Karl-Heinz obtained his Certified Public Accountant (inactive) license in 1995, with work experience in both Big 6 CPA and regional accounting firms.
He served as President of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, Silicon Valley Chapter in 2014 to 2015, and on their Board of Directors from 2009 to 2016.
Ron Caton
Mr. Caton is a commercial banking executive with a career spanning 38 years. He has extensive knowledge and expertise in banking with focus on strategic planning, credit/compliance risk management, commercial banking products, business growth/operations and governance. Mr. Caton has held prominent positions in Wells Fargo Bank’s Commercial Banking Group. His career at Wells Fargo included executive responsibilities for relationship management, sales and marketing, credit originations and approvals, treasury/payment services, capital markets, compliance, and governance.
Mr. Caton attended Santa Clara University where he earned a BA in humanities and a Master in Business Administration.
Jenny Sohn
Jenny Sohn is a seasoned CFO with deep experience supporting private companies through complex finance, accounting, and audit challenges, including acquisitions and IPO readiness. She has held leadership roles at Evernote and led acquisition efforts at Cisco, following earlier roles at BCG and Applied Materials. Jenny holds an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas and is both a CPA and CFA. She is a trusted advisor to executive teams, VC-backed companies, and entrepreneurs, and is also active in community service and nonprofit leadership.
Pamela J. Martinson
Pam is a business-focused advisor with decades of finance and legal experience. As a partner with major law firms in Silicon Valley, she represented technology companies across their life cycles, and the institutions that finance them. She was most recently a partner of the global law firm Sidley Austin LLP, resident in that firm’s Palo Alto, California office, working on complex leveraged loan transactions. Pam’s early work years included operations and credit roles with community and regional banks. Pam’s board experience encompasses both corporate and nonprofit organizations, including terms on the Board of Trustees of Woodside Priory School. She holds BA and MBA degrees from the University of Denver, and a JD degree from Harvard Law School.
Tom Vertin, CEO
40+ years in banking, including 7 years as CEO of $1.5 billion Pacific Mercantile Bank (NASDAQ: PMBC) (sold to Banc of California) and CEO of $800 million LA-based Golden State Bank where he currently serves on its Board of Directors.
He spent 18 years with Silicon Valley Bank (1993 to 2012) including serving as its Chief Operating Officer and Director of the Western Division responsible for client acquisition, sales and portfolio management. Tom began his career with Bank of America. He then held positions with various SF Bay Area community banks focused on client acquisition, market differentiation, and sales management.
Tom Tolda, CFO
30+ years in multinational and community banks with concentration in finance, accounting, and treasury management. Tom was CFO at East West Bank, Rabobank N.A., Mission Community Bank, and Heritage Oaks Bank.
He began his career with Citibank’s international group in NY, was CFO of Wells Fargo’s consumer lending, and most recently was CFO of Revolut Technologies, a fintech start-up.
Rudolph Garcia, CCO
Mr. Garcia brings over 30 years of banking experience to Altos Bank as Chief Credit Officer. Born and raised in Santa Clara County, he has strong connection to the local communities that make him well-suited to lead the bank’s credit and lending operations.
Previously, he served as Chief Credit Officer at San Francisco-based Beacon Business Bank, managing credit risk and lending. He also led the SBA Lending Departments at Lighthouse Bank and Community Bank of the Bay after spending 23 years at Wells Fargo Bank, where he gained experience in credit risk and analysis.
A Santa Clara University graduate, Mr. Garcia holds a Bachelor of Science in Commerce, specializing in Accounting.
Sanjay Mody, COO
Mr. Rossell has 27+ years of commercial banking experience, 20 of which as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), including Founding President and CEO and Director of the following 3 banks: California Bank of Commerce (2007-2012); Santa Cruz County Bank (2004-2006); and Heritage Bank of Commerce (1993-2000). Previously, Mr. Rossell served as Senior Credit Officer for Silicon Valley Bank. Prior to this, he was Vice President in Wells Fargo’s San Francisco Corporate Banking Group and as President of Wells Fargo, Canada.
Mr. Rossell holds a BA in English and a MBA from the University of Virginia.
Sundar Padmanabhan, Director of IT
With over 25 years of experience primarily in banking and fintech, Sundar has a proven track record of achieving operational excellence in both corporate and startup environments. He is an entrepreneurial and innovative leader, having co-founded IDD Labs and served as CTO at Ripe.io, where he successfully built and scaled startups over the past six years.
Prior to that, he spent 15 years at Silicon Valley Bank, where he held IT responsibilities for various business units, including Core Banking, Digital Banking, Payments, FX, Trade Finance, and Asset-Based Lending (ABL). He oversaw the integration, customization, and upgrade of key systems within the bank. Sundar began his career as a consulting software engineer and later made significant contributions at Oracle as a Senior Technical Analyst.
Jessica Zimmerman, Managing Director - Business Development
With over 25 years in the banking industry, she specializes in financing commercial real estate, operating businesses, and professional firms. She works closely with medium to large privately held companies, providing tailored lending solutions built around long-term relationships. Jessica views herself as an extension of her clients’ teams, offering thoughtful, responsive guidance and a deep commitment to their success.
Max Cote - Business Development
With over 22 years of experience in retail, private, and commercial banking, Max is passionate about serving clients and building relationships rooted in trust and transparency. He specializes in delivering a concierge banking experience and is deeply interested in the client’s perspective. Max considers himself a member of the client's team and strives to add value in every client interaction.