McDermott + Bull has successfully placed Shari DeMaris as the Chief Financial Officer at Exchange Bank. Shari will serve on the executive leadership team and will play a key role in shaping the future of the bank as a visible strategic and operational leader, driving financial success through sustainable organic growth.
Shari brings over 20 years of deep technical accounting and financial leadership experience within financial institutions. The foundation of her career was built in public accounting, first with Arthur Andersen and then McGladrey — now RSM. She joins Exchange Bank following 15 years with $3.3 billion Hills Bank and Trust Company in Iowa, where she served as the Chief Financial Officer since 2012. At Hills Bank, she organized the bank’s strategic planning committee, developed new incentive compensation and stock programs, and grew the bank’s investments portfolio. Shari strongly aligns with Exchange Bank’s value system. She has a forward-looking view of the evolution of community banking and she is driven by a commitment to serve her community. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from DePaul University and her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Iowa.
With a 130-year history, Exchange Bank has truly become woven into the fabric of the California communities the bank serves. It channels its efforts, products, and services to the neighborhoods and communities where the bank’s clients live and work, helping those local communities grow. Today, Exchange Bank is one of the largest independent banks in the region with assets in excess of $3 billion, 20 branches throughout Sonoma County, and one branch in Roseville, California.
This executive search was completed by McDermott + Bull President Brandon Biegenzahn, Vice President Michelle Davis, and Senior Executive Recruiter Courtney Dorrel.