Amalgamated Bank announced an expanded business development team that will report to Executive Vice President Sam Brown, who joined the bank in December 2014. This roster of professionals will support Brown, a former senior official in the Obama Administration, as he expands the bank’s relationships with businesses, progressive nonprofits, unions, and other clients.

In addition, former Amalgamated Bank Chief Operations Officer Barry Kipnis will be returning to Amalgamated to serve as the Acting Head of Trusts. Kipnis had previously served as a Vice President at Morgan Stanley.

The new business development team comprises senior leaders from a range of backgrounds, including finance, politics, and all levels of government. “This team will draw from some of the most qualified progressive professionals in their industries,” said Keith Mestrich, Amalgamated Bank President and CEO. “When we announced last year that we intended to grow our bank’s business development division, we knew it would require a team of this caliber to reach that goal. We’re excited that we’ve assembled a team of professionals with such diverse backgrounds, but one shared progressive vision.”

The team assembled will include these personnel in the following positions:

• Molly Culhane, Senior Vice President, Political Banking – previously served as White House Chief of Operations Services in the Office of Administration, as well as a senior financial official in President Obama’s re-election campaign and inaugural committee.
• Greg Ifill, First Vice President, Labor Banking and Public Funds – joined Amalgamated Bank’s Trusts team in 2010 after service as Sales Director at BNY Mellon.
• Maura Keaney, First Vice President, Non-Profit and Foundation Banking – previously served as Executive Director of External Affairs for the New York City Department of Education, as well as holding senior positions in Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s mayoral campaigns.
• Bill Phillips, Consultant, Philanthropy – will help Amalgamated Bank serve high net worth clients. Phillips previously held senior sales positions at Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup. 

The announcement comes on the heels of Amalgamated Bank’s support for New York City’s new municipal identification card, and announcement that the bank would allow holders of the new identification to open bank accounts at Amalgamated branches. “By both opening our doors to communities that often lack access to financial institutions and building a new team devoted toward reaching deeper into our progressive customer base, we’re committed to inviting in new customers who want their bank to align with their values,” said Mestrich.

Since its founding in 1923 by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, Amalgamated Bank has been committed to affordable and accessible banking for all. The bank is proud to be an advocate for the advancement of workers’ rights, offer products and services designed to support working families, and promote corporate responsibility through shareholder activism. The bank’s corporate divisions include Community Banking, Business Development, Investment Management and Commercial Lending. Amalgamated has retail branches in New York City as well as branches in: Lyndhurst, New Jersey; Pasadena, California; and Washington, D.C.