Thomas J. Shara, President and CEO of Lakeland Bank, announced the following officer promotions.
Alethea Batts to First Senior Vice President – Learning and Development and Chief Diversity Officer. Batts joined Lakeland in 2017 as Vice President, Learning and Development and was named Chief Diversity Officer in 2020. She earned a bachelor’s degree in History/Afro-American Studies from Princeton University and is a graduate of the Consumer Bankers Association for Retail Executive Management program at the University of Virginia. Batts holds a Human Resources Management Senior Certified Professional certification and a Project Management Professional certification.
Leonard Carlucci to First Senior Vice President – Team Leader, CML. Carlucci joined the Bank in 2015 as Senior Vice President, Team Leader in Wyckoff, N.J. and was appointed to Senior Vice President, Team Leader in Waldwick, N.J. after a brief break in service. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President, Commercial Real Estate at Oritani Bank in the Township of Washington, NJ and Vice President, Senior Commercial Lending Officer at Columbia Bank in Fairlawn, NJ. Carlucci holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from William Paterson University.
Ron Krauskopf to First Senior Vice President – Group Leader, Healthcare, Insurance and SBA Lending. Krauskopf joined Lakeland Bank as Senior Vice President and Team Leader to helm the newly created Healthcare Lending platform in 2019. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President and Team Leader of Healthcare Lending at Investors Bank in Short Hills, NJ. Krauskopf has nearly 20 years of commercial banking experience, most of it covering the healthcare industry. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and economics at The College of New Jersey and is currently attending the ABA Stonier School of Banking. He is a member of the Seton Hall School of Business advisory board and was previously an advisory board member for the Rutgers University School of Public Health.
Vickie Tomasello to First Senior Vice President – Chief Audit Officer. Tomasello joined the Bank in 2017 as Senior Vice President, Chief Audit Officer and has more than 20 years of industry experience as an audit and risk management professional. Prior to Lakeland, she was an Internal Audit Director at First Niagara Bank in Buffalo, NY. Tomasello earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting and finance analysis from State University of New York at Buffalo. She is a New York State Certified Public Accountant and is an active member of the Institute of Internal Auditors, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Information Systems Audit and Control Association and the American Bankers Association.
John Allen to Senior Vice President – Treasurer. Allen joined Lakeland in 2014 as Vice President, Financial Reporting in the Finance department and transferred to Vice President, Treasurer in 2021. With more than 13 years of audit, finance and accounting experience, he held managerial roles at Deloitte & Touche, Citi Hedge Fund Services, Cerberus Capital Management, and Federal Reserve Bank of NY. Allen holds a master’s degree in accounting and professional consultancy from Villanova University and is a Certified Public Accountant. He is also a graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking.
Roxanne Camejo to Senior Vice President – Community Development Officer. Camejo joined the Bank in 2017 as Vice President, Community Development Officer with more than 20 years of experience in the banking industry. Prior to that, she was a Community Development Manager and CRA Loan Officer at TD Bank in Ramsey, N.J. Camejo holds a bachelor’s degree in community health education from William Paterson University and a master’s degree in public administration from Rutgers University. She co-chairs the Bank’s Community Development Action Committee.
Gary Garris to Senior Vice President – Project Management Office Lead. Garris joined Lakeland in 2020 as Vice President, Project Management Office Lead. With more than 20 years of experience in project and program management, business transformation and governance, he was most recently Vice President of Transformation Programs at Atlas Management Consulting in Berkley Heights, N.J. Garris holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Rutgers University and a Master of Science degree in management from Thomas Edison State University.
David Pick to Senior Vice President – Systems Architect. Pick joined the Bank in 2005 as Assistant Vice President, Network Services Manager. He was promoted shortly after to Vice President, Network Services Manager and in 2015 he transitioned to Vice President, IT Solutions Architect.
Rob Surovich to Senior Vice President – Relationship Manager – CML. Surovich joined Lakeland in 2012 as a Senior Credit Analyst. Prior to that, he was a Relationship Manager Trainee at Hudson Valley Bank in Yonkers, N.Y. In 2013, Surovich was promoted to Assistant Treasurer, Portfolio Manager on the Waldwick Lending Team, to Assistant Vice President, Portfolio Manager in 2014, to Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer in 2016 and transferred to Vice President, Relationship Manager in 2019. Surovich holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and finance from Iona College and is a graduate of the inaugural Lakeland Bank L.E.A.D. Program.
Ed Carus to Vice President – Property & Fleet Manager. Carus joined the Bank in 2019 as Assistant Treasurer, Property and Fleet Manager and was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Property and Fleet Manager in 2020. Prior to that, he was a Move and Change Coordinator at JPMorgan Chase where he completed extensive management and leadership training. He attended Nassau Community College and The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen of the City of New York for Construction Project Management. Carus has been a member of the International Facility Management Association since 2009.
Andrea Chletsos to Vice President – Legal Department Operations Manager. Chletsos joined Lakeland in 2016 as Assistant Treasurer, Paralegal II and was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Senior Paralegal in 2019. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Drew University, is a graduate of the inaugural Lakeland Bank L.E.A.D. Program and was a recipient of the NJBankers 2020 Emerging Leaders Rising Star Award.
Ken Lawson to Vice President – Relationship Manager – CML. Lawson joined the Bank in 2015 as a Senior Commercial Credit Analyst for the New York Commercial and Middle Market Lending Team based in Highland Mills, NY. In 2016, he was promoted to Assistant Treasurer, Senior Credit Analyst, to Assistant Vice President, Portfolio Manager in 2018 and to Assistant Vice President, Relationship Manager in 2020. Lawson holds dual bachelor’s degrees in accounting and finance from Bloomsburg University and is a graduate of the Lakeland Bank L.E.A.D. Program.
Patty Tostanoski to Vice President – Senior Portfolio Manager – CML. Tostanoski joined Lakeland in 2018 as Vice President, Relationship Manager for the Hudson Valley Lending Team based in Highland Mills, NY. With more than 30 years of industry experience, she was previously a Bookkeeper with a small private accounting firm in Spring Valley, NY. Tostanoski holds a Bachelor of Science degree in international management with a minor in accounting from Georgetown University.
Hubert Urruttia to Vice President – Data Warehouse Manager. Urruttia joined the Bank in 2016 as Assistant Treasurer, Business Process Analyst in the Business Intelligence department and was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Data Solutions Architect in 2018. With more than 15 years of industry experience, he was previously a Business Intelligence Developer at Webster Bank (formerly Sterling National Bank). Urruttia is a graduate of the Lakeland Bank L.E.A.D. Program.
Kevin Conklyn to Assistant Vice President – Portfolio Manager – CML. Conklyn joined Lakeland in 2016 as a credit intern before transitioning to a Junior Credit Analyst. He was promoted to Credit Analyst in 2018, to Senior Credit Analyst in 2019 and to Assistant Treasurer, Portfolio Manager on the Montville Commercial Lending Team in 2020. Conklyn holds a bachelor’s degree in finance & applied analytics from Bryant University.
Brian Davis to Assistant Vice President – ServiceNow & SharePoint Administrator. Davis joined the Bank in 2006 as an Information Systems Network Administrator Analyst. He quickly transferred to SharePoint Administrator in 2008 and Network Administrator II in 2011. Davis was promoted to Assistant Treasurer, Network Engineer I in 2017, to Assistant Treasurer, Network Operations Center Engineer in 2018 and to Assistant Treasurer, ServiceNow & SharePoint Administrator in 2021. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in computer information systems from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania.
Andrew DeFeo to Assistant Vice President – Application Support Lead. DeFeo joined Lakeland in 2017 as a Network Administrator II and was promoted to Assistant Treasurer, Application Support Lead in 2019. Prior to that, he was an IT Support Specialist for both Princeton University and Ocean County College, and as a Systems Administrator for the International Council of Shopping Centers. DeFeo holds Network Support Specialist, A+ and Network+ certifications.
Robyn Edmondson to Assistant Vice President – Purchasing Administrator. Edmondson joined the Bank in 2020 as Assistant Treasurer, Purchasing Administrator. Prior to that, she had a 29-year career at ADP as Manager of Office Services and Director of Office Services. Robyn holds an associate degree in Information Technology and Business from Berkeley College.
Alex Valenzuela to Assistant Vice President – Internal Audit Data Analyst & Reporting. Valenzuela joined Lakeland in 2018 as Assistant Treasurer, Internal Auditor Data Analyst & Reporting. With more than 17 years of data analytics and reporting experience as well as five years of experience as a CFO for AT&T Network Systems, he was a Senior Reporting Analyst at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), Certified Public Accountant Firm and a Lead Business/Reporting Analyst at TRI-K Industries Inc. Valenzuela is also a veteran of the United States Navy.
Jennifer Wright to Assistant Vice President – Help Desk Supervisor. Wright joined the Bank in 2001 as a Teller at the West Milford office and transferred to the Milton office where she was promoted to Teller Manager in 2003. She transferred to Help Desk Analyst in 2006 and was promoted to Help Desk Supervisor in 2011. Wright was promoted to Assistant Treasurer, Help Desk Supervisor in 2019 and is a graduate of the Lakeland L.E.A.D. Program.
Heather Young to Assistant Vice President – Senior Paralegal. Young joined Lakeland in 2017 as Assistant Treasurer, Paralegal II. Prior to that, she was Paralegal at Williams, Graffeo & Stern LLC (formerly Kaplan, Williams & Graffeo, LLC) and Paralegal at Fein, Such, Kahn & Shepard, PC. Young received her Paralegal Certificate from Warren County Community College in 2012 and holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from William Paterson University, graduating summa cum laude in 2020.
Danielle Harris to Assistant Treasurer – Team Leader – Commercial Loan Servicing. Harris joined the Bank through the acquisition of Highlands State Bank in 2019. She joined Highlands State Bank in 2015 as a Commercial Loan Post Closer and transferred to a Loan Servicer II in 2016. While at Lakeland, she has held positions of Loan Servicing Specialist and Senior Consumer Loan Servicing Specialist and most recently Senior Commercial Loan Reconciliation Specialist. Harris holds an associate degree in Business Administration from Sussex County Community College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Felician University.
Michael Holzschuh to Assistant Treasurer – Salesforce Junior Administrator. Holzschuh joined Lakeland in 2012 as a Call Center Financial Service Provider and transferred to Accounting Clerk in 2013 and to e-Funds Clerk and Assistant Wire Specialist in 2014. He was promoted to Wire Transfer Specialist in 2014 then transferred to User Administration Lead in 2018. Holzschuh transferred to Salesforce Junior Administrator in 2021. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Montclair State University, a Salesforce Administrator Certification and is a graduate of the Lakeland Bank L.E.A.D. Program.
Nicole Sullivan to Assistant Treasurer – eCommerce Team Manager. Sullivan joined the Bank in 2021 as eCommerce Team Leader. Prior to that, she was a Private Client Banker at JPMorgan Chase. Sullivan studied at Sussex County Community College and is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree at Ashford University.