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Expertise you can bank on

Our leadership team and board of directors carry a proven history of success in banking and finance. Meet your dedicated team.

Executive Management Team

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Christopher Gruseke
PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Christopher Gruseke, President & CEO of Bankwell Financial Group, brings over 25 years of finance experience. He previously served as a Managing Director of CRT Capital as well as Co-Chief Operating Officer at Greenwich Capital Markets. Mr. Gruseke joined Bankwell in 2015 and holds a B.A. from Williams College and an M.S. from NYU's Stern School of Business.

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Christine A. Chivily
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF CREDIT OFFICER

Christine Chivily, Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of Bankwell Financial Group, brings over 35 years of banking and real estate finance experience. Her background includes roles such as Risk Manager at People’s United Bank and Director of Freddie Mac's New England region. Ms. Chivily joined Bankwell in 2014 and holds a BA from Mt. Holyoke College.

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Matthew McNeill
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF BANKING OFFICER

Matthew McNeill, Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer at Bankwell Financial Group, brings over 20 years of commercial banking experience. His background includes roles at HSBC, Santander and Metropolitan Commercial Bank, where he was head of Commercial Lending.  Mr. McNeill joined Bankwell in 2020.

Courtney Sacchetti
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Courtney E. Sacchetti is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Bankwell Financial Group. She started her career at GE Capital's Financial Management Program and brings over 18 years of diverse finance and regulatory experience from her tenure. Ms. Sacchetti joined Bankwell in 2017 and in 2023 was promoted to CFO.  She holds a B.A. and MBA from Union College.

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Steven Brunner
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATIONS AND RISK OFFICER

Steven Brunner, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations and Risk Officer at Bankwell Financial Group, has a wealth of experience in compliance and risk management. He previously served as Global Head of Financial Crimes at Wex, Inc., and held multiple positions at Sterling National Bank, contributing to its significant asset growth. Mr. Brunner joined Bankwell in 2022 and holds a B.S. from Utica University.

Ryan Hildebrand
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER

Ryan Hildebrand, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Bankwell Financial Group, brings extensive experience in financial innovation. He was the co-founder of business banking startup Seed, which was acquired by Cross River Bank in 2019. He has also held roles including Strategic Innovation Officer at Lincoln Savings Bank and was head of Finance and Strategy at Simple where he played a crucial role in its sale to BBVA. Ryan joined Bankwell in 2023 and holds a B.A. from Oregon State University.

Board of Directors

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Blake S. Drexler, Chairman
Portfolio Manager Mariner Capital Rowayton, CT
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Christopher Gruseke
Chief Executive Officer Bankwell
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Kevin D. Leitão
Leitão LawNew Canaan, CT
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Todd Lampert
Managing Member Lampert, Toohey & Rucci, LLC New Canaan, CT
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Eric J. Dale
General Counsel and Head of Real Estate Transactions RealTruck, Inc. Westport, CT
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Carl M. Porto
Principal  Parrett, Porto, Parese, & Colwell, P.C. Hamden, CT
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Darryl Demos
Banking Consultant Duxbury, MA
Jeffrey R. Dunne
Vice Chairman, CBRE Southport, CT
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Lawrence Seidman
Manager
Seidman and Associates, LLC Parsippany, NJ
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Anahaita Kotval
Chief Executive Officer Lifting Up Westchester White Plains, NY