Officers & Directors

Mr. Hileman has served as Executive Chairman of the Boards since March 2021. Prior to that, he was CEO of Premier Financial Corp. and Premier Bank and a member of the Premier Financial Corp. Board (formerly First Federal Bank of the Midwest and First Defiance Financial Corp.) since January 1, 2014. Mr. Hileman also served as the CFO of First Federal Bank and First Defiance Financial Corp. and the CEO of First Insurance Group. He has worked in the financial services industry for more than 40 years. Prior to joining the company in 2007, he served as a corporate controller with Sky Financial Group, Inc., a $19 billion financial services holding company. He previously served as a community bank Chief Financial Officer, and has held various positions in banking.

Mr. Schiraldi has served as Vice Chairman of Premier Financial Corp. since February of 2020 and as its Lead Independent Director since April 2021. Mr. Schiraldi also serves as a Director of Premier Bank. Immediately prior, he was Chairman of the Board at United Community Financial Corp and Home Savings Bank. He is retired from Cohen & Company CPAs as a CPA/JD after 36 years of servicing closely held businesses and entrepreneurs on a wide variety of business and tax issues. Concurrently, he was also on the Board of Managers at Sequoia Financial Group for 13 of those years. Mr. Schiraldi is a proud graduate of both Youngstown State University and the University of Akron School of Law.

Mr. Adams has over 45 years of small and large bank management experience. Since 2008, Mr. Adams has been the President of Marty Adams Consulting, LLC, where he serves as both an advisor to banks and their boards of directors and to private equity firms pertaining to bank equity investments. He is also the managing member of Strategic Value Bank Partners, LLC since 2015. Mr. Adams is presently a Director of First National Bancshares, Inc. and First National Bank of America, East Lansing, Michigan (since ?? 2016) where he also chairs the Board Comepnsation Committee, and of FineMark Holdings, Inc. and FineMark National Bank & Trust, Florida (since October 2021). He has served as the interim chief executive officer of PVF Capital Corp. and Park View Federal Savings Bank, Solon, Ohio, and as president and chief operating officer of Huntington Bancshares Inc. following Huntington's acquisition of Sky Financial Group, Inc. from July 2007 until December 2007. Mr. Adams was previously the chairman and chief executive officer of Sky Financial Group and Sky Bank. Mr. Adams served on the boards of United Community Financial Corp. and Home Savings Bank from February 2013 through January 2020. He joined the boards of Premier Financial Corp. and Premier Bank in February 2020. 

Zahid Afzal is a member of the Board of Directors of Buckeye Insurance Group, Piqua, Ohio since December 2019. He previously served as the Chief Operating Officer at Home Savings Bank from March 2018 to January 2020. Prior to joining Home Savings, Mr. Afzal served as executive vice president, Chief Technology and Operations Executive at Capital Bank in Raleigh, N.C. from 2013 to November 2017. He has also held executive positions with Huntington National Bank and Bank of America. In the past, Mr. Afzal has served as the Board Members of Bancsource, RoamHR, Bitglass, Banksight, Bowling Green State University College of Business, the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC), and Groundwork Group. He joined the boards of Premier Financial Corp. and Premier Bank in February 2020.

He is a Graduate of The Ohio State University Fisher Business College Executive Leadership Program, Columbus, OH and Duke University Fuqua Business College Executive Leadership Program, Durham, NC. Afzal earned a Bachelor-of-Science degree and completed some post-graduate coursework in Management Information Systems at Strayer University, Washington D.C. 

Mr. Altman is a co-managing partner of the Altman Company, a full service real estate development firm for commercial, multi-family, office, medical and hotel properties located in multiple states. He has over 25 30 years of experience in managing, developing and financing commercial real estate ventures. Mr. Altman served as the chairman of Premier Bank and Trust from 2015 until the bank's sale to Home Savings Bank in 2017 and as a director of Ohio Legacy Corp. from February 2010 to January 2018. He also previously served on the board of directors of Sky Bank Board. Mr. Altman served on the boards of United Community Financial Corp. and Home Savings Bank from February 2017 through January 2020. Since April 2020, he also serves on the board of the Akron Children's Hospital Foundation.

Mr. Altman joined the boards of Premier Financial Corp., Premier Bank and First Insurance Group of the Midwest, Inc. in February 2020.

Mr. Altman graduated from The Ohio State University School of Business. 

Ms. Bettinger is the Deputy Director and Chief Information Officer for the Ohio Department of Aging since May 2019 and sits on Ohio's Technology First Taskforce. She is also the president and owner of VCIO Services, LLC, an executive consulting company in Columbus, Ohio since June of 2017. Ms. Bettinger served as the Chief Information Officer of Franklin County Data Center in Columbus, Ohio from February 2015 to October 2017. She also led North America Fund Services Technology for the Global Financial Services Group at Citigroup Inc. from April 2009 to February 2015. Ms. Bettinger presently serves on the board of directors of the Childhood League Center, a Columbus, Ohio area not-for-profit, and as an executive advisory board member for Ohio Women in Technology.

Ms. Bettinger joined the boards of Premier Financial Corp. and Premier Bank in January 2018. 

Mr. Bookmyer is CEO of Pain Management Group located in Findlay, Ohio, since January 2009 and the former Chief Operating Officer of Blanchard Valley Health System in Findlay, Ohio, from August 1995 until December 2008. Mr. Bookmyer is a Certified Public Accountant in Ohio and has extensive experience in oversight, leadership and financial matters from his roles at all entities. He is also very familiar with the needs of the region through his interactions with community hospitals and businesses.

Mr. Burdman is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Redstone Investments, a development, management and acquisitions company focused on shopping center development, headquartered in Youngstown, OH since 1991. He also serves on the board of directors of SIMCO Management Corp., a residential apartment management firm operating in northeast Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania.

Mr. Burdman served on the boards of United Community Financial Corp. and Home Savings Bank from April 2011 through January 2020. He joined the Boards of Premier Financial Corp and Premier Bank in February 2020. 

 Ms. Hubbard served as the Corporate Treasurer and Business Manager of The Hubbard Company, a printing and office supply company located in Defiance, Ohio, from 2003 through May 20, 2022. She previously held various positions in the financial industry.

Ms. Hubbard joined the Boards of Premier Financial Corp. and Premier Bank in April 2008.

Ms. Hubbard is a graduate of Defiance College with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and is also a graduate of the Ohio School of Banking and the American Bankers Associations School of Human Resource Management. 

Ms. Lanier is the founder and CEO of Harper Slade, a racial equality advisory firm. Prior to forming Harper Slade, Ms. Lanier was the Senior Vice President and Site General Manager of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Louisville. She is an accomplished leader with over 25 years of experience in banking, labor and employment law, collective bargaining, human resources, and state government. Ms. Lanier is an adjunct MBA professor at the University of Louisville College of Business and a member of its Board of Advisors. She also serves as chair of the board of One West, a Louisville based community development corporation, and as secretary and audit committee chair of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority board. She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law, a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Hampton University, and a collective bargaining certification from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. As a Premier Financial Board member, Ms. Lanier will serve on the Compensation and Risk committees.

Mr. Niehaus is the managing partner of Niehaus  & Kalas, Ltd., Attorneys at Law, in Toledo, Ohio, since 2007. Mr. Niehaus has provided legal representation to corporate and business clients for over 35 years on a wide range of business issues including the representation of financial institutions in formation, acquisitions, bank litigation, shareholder matters and regulatory compliance. He brings extensive experience in the legal and financial services areas and provides valuable guidance and insight with respect to strategy and compliance. 

Mr. Niehaus  also serves on the Board of Directors of First Insurance Group of the Midwest, Inc.

Mr. Robison is President of Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, since 2007 and Chairman of the Board of Brotherhood Mutual since 2009. Prior to his promotion to President of Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, Mr. Robison served in various positions at Brotherhood Mutual since 1994, including as Vice President of Finance. As a successful leader of a national company, Mr. Robison adds valuable leadership experience to the Board.

Mr. Small was appointed President and CEO of Premier Financial Corp. and Premier Bank in March 2021. Prior to that, he served as President of Premier Financial Corp. and Premier Bank and joined the Premier Financial Corp. Board on January 31, 2020, as part of the UCFC (First Federal and Home Savings) merger. Small was named President and CEO of Home Savings and joined the UCFC Board in March 2014, bringing more than 32 years of industry experience and a successful record of developing businesses, growing revenue, and improving organizational performance. Small most recently served as Senior Executive Vice President – Chief Banking Officer for S&T Bank in Indiana, PA, with responsibility for their Wealth Management, Retail Banking and Insurance business groups. Prior to joining S&T, Small served as COO for the Jackson Hewitt Tax Services 1,000 store company owned business unit. Before Jackson Hewitt, Mr. Small served as EVP - Head of Regional Banking for Sky Financial Group and post-merger with Huntington Bank, as Huntington Bank's EVP– Regional Banking Group President. Small also spent 20 years with National City Corporation and a predecessor, Merchants National Corporation, in a number of senior operating and financial roles.

Mr. Strausbaugh is President of Elpis Opportunity Fund L.P. since October 2020, a Private Equity Investment Fund based in Indianapolis, IN. Mr. Strausbaugh is President and CEO of Vrsus Assets, LLC, a digital case management platform firm for plaintiff attorneys, from June 2018 through October 2020; President, CEO and CFO of JB & Company, Inc., Commercial Roofing Company, from 2011 to 2017; Former Co-President of Defiance Metal Products in Defiance, Ohio, from September 2006 to November 2011; and CFO of Defiance Metal Products from November 1998 to July 2006. Mr. Strausbaugh has important tactical and strategic skills that he has developed in management and executive positions with his prior employers. His experience with a growing company helps to inform the Board of Directors when considering future business opportunities.

Mr. Small was appointed President and CEO of Premier Financial Corp. and Premier Bank in March 2021. Prior to that, he served as President of Premier Financial Corp. and Premier Bank and joined the Premier Financial Corp. Board on January 31, 2020, as part of the UCFC (First Federal and Home Savings) merger. Small was named President and CEO of Home Savings and joined the UCFC Board in March 2014, bringing more than 32 years of industry experience and a successful record of developing businesses, growing revenue, and improving organizational performance. Small most recently served as Senior Executive Vice President – Chief Banking Officer for S&T Bank in Indiana, PA, with responsibility for their Wealth Management, Retail Banking and Insurance business groups. Prior to joining S&T, Small served as COO for the Jackson Hewitt Tax Services 1,000 store company owned business unit. Before Jackson Hewitt, Mr. Small served as EVP - Head of Regional Banking for Sky Financial Group and post-merger with Huntington Bank, as Huntington Bank's EVP– Regional Banking Group President. Small also spent 20 years with National City Corporation and a predecessor, Merchants National Corporation, in a number of senior operating and financial roles.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Bushway was Director of Marketing from September 2016 until June 2020. Prior to joining Premier, Ms. Bushway served as Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications Director and various other positions with Huntington National Bank (formerly FirstMerit Corporation) from September 2004 to September 2016.

Prior to his current role, Mr. Chandhok was the Chief Information Officer from March 2021 through October 2021. Prior to joining Premier, Mr. Chandhok served as Chief Information Officer– Corporate, Risk Regulatory and Finance from October 2019 to March 2021 and as Chief Information Officer – Corporate and Chief Architect from February 2014 to October 2019 of M&T Bank.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Davis was Director of Human Resources of Premier and Premier Bank from November 2015 to January 2020. Prior to joining Premier, Ms. Davis was Senior Vice President and Human Resources Director at First Community Bank from October 2007 to November 2015. Prior to that, she served as an Assistant Vice President, Senior Human Resources Business Partner for BBVA Compass.

Executive Vice President, Retail and Business Banking of Premier Bank since January 2020. Prior to his current role, Mr. Gendics was Executive Vice President, Head of Consumer and Business Banking for Home Savings Bank from May 2019 until its merger with Premier Bank in January 2020. Prior to that time, Mr. Gendics was Senior Vice President, Home Lending Region Manager for Huntington Bank from 2016 to April 2019.

Ms. Kuhl joined Premier March 1, 2021. Prior to her current role, Ms. Kuhl was a member of Frost Brown Todd LLC, a law firm, from May 2019 through February 2021. Prior to that time, Ms. Kuhl was with First Financial Bancorp and First Financial Bank, Cincinnati, Ohio, where she served in various positions since 2006, including Chief Risk Officer from November 2017 until November2018, Chief Legal Officer from October 2013 until April 2018, and Chief Compliance Officer from September 2016 until November 2017.

Prior to his current role, Mr. Nungester was Executive Vice President, Director of Finance and Accounting from July 2018 to April 2019. Prior to joining Premier, Mr. Nungester worked at Welltower Inc., a real estate investment trust, where he served in various positions since 2001: Senior Vice President and Controller from January 2012 to May 2018, including to transition his role from March 20, 2018 until May 15, 2018; Vice President and Controller from March 2006 to January 2012; and Controller from September 2002 to March 2006.

Prior to his current role, Mr. Rose served as Chief Operations Officer from January 2020 through October 2021, Director of Strategy Management from January 2017 to January 2020, Executive Vice President, Head of Business Banking from October 2013 to December 2016, and Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer from 2001 to 2013. Mr. Rose joined Premier Bank in 1996 and served as Corporate Controller until 2001.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Scroggs served as the Senior Vice President, Director of Trust and Chief Trust Fiduciary Officer from January 2020 through June 2021 for Premier Bank. Ms. Scroggs joined Premier Bank in January 2017 as Vice President, Senior Trust Fiduciary Officer. Prior to joining Premier Bank, Ms. Scroggs served as a Trust Officer and Vice President, Senior Trust Officer for Fifth Third Bank from 2006 to 2017.

Ms. Shaver joined Premier in November 2020. Prior to her current role, Ms. Shaver served as Senior Director and Deputy Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer of Treliant, LLC in Washington D.C., where she provided consultative guidance to financial institutions on enterprise risk matters from September 2016 to October 2020. Prior to that, she served as Senior Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer of FirstMerit Bank, N.A. in Akron, Ohio, from October 2004 to August 2016.