Gateway Bank is built on a solid foundation. The Board of Directors represents a cross-section of experienced banking professionals and business leaders in the Sarasota/Bradenton community.

Pictured left to right: David J. Grain; Shaun P. Merriman, President & CEO; Gavin W. Meshad, Vice Chairman; Dr. Gary K. Bockhold; David E. Sessions; Charles J. Bartlett, Chairman; Wayne M. Ruben; and Katherine K. Moulton. Not pictured: David K. Maholias.

Gateway Bank is built on a solid foundation. The Board of Directors represents a cross-section of experienced banking professionals and business leaders in the Sarasota/Bradenton community.

Shaun P. Merriman – President and CEO
A 25-year banking veteran, Shaun began organizing Gateway Bank in November, 2006, during the most adverse banking climate seen in Southwest Florida in decades. He authored a convincing business plan, raised $19.5 million in capital, and assembled a notable board of directors and a talented banking staff. Shaun then took the aggressive approach to open three banking centers within the first 12 months of operation, which is virtually unheard of. Under Shaun’s leadership, Gateway Bank has grown to over $170 million in total assets, and reached sustained profitability in just 31 months of operation. By comparison, most start-up banks do not reach profitability until their third or fourth year of operation. Prior to organizing Gateway Bank, Shaun served as Southwest Florida’s Area Executive for AmSouth Bank in Sarasota. He oversaw 45 Banking Centers in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties. Over two-thirds of Shaun’s career was spent with SouthTrust Corporation. He held several senior leadership positions including Executive Vice President and Senior Lender, Senior Officer (Commercial Banking), and President and CEO of SouthTrust’s Suncoast Market. Shaun is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin system with a major in Finance and a minor in Accounting. He is also a graduate of Wisconsin School of Commercial Banking and The Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is active in the Sarasota community currently serving as board chair for Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, trustee board member for Doctors Hospital, board member and Corporate Secretary for Team Tony Cancer Foundation, and board member and past Chairman for the United Way of Sarasota County. Shaun is a recipient of the 2009 (Bronze) and 2010 (Silver) President’s Volunteer Service Award, a national award recognizing over 100 hours and over 250 hours respectively of community service in one year.

Charles J. Bartlett – Chairman
Charles J. Bartlett is a Senior Shareholder of Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen and Ginsburg, PA, a premier law firm serving the Southwest Florida area since 1956.  He specializes in commercial litigation, real estate and business law with an emphasis on the representation of small-to-medium size businesses.  Mr. Bartlett has practiced law with this firm for 31 years and served as president of the 32 attorney, 70 employee firm from 1987 until 1998.  He is the recipient of the prestigious “AV” rating, the highest rating available from Martindale Hubbell, a respected source of authoritative and dependable information about members of the legal community.  Mr. Bartlett was recently named to the 2011 edition of Florida Super Lawyers magazine.  Only five percent of the attorneys in the state are named to this list.  Mr. Bartlett has also been named to Florida Trend’s 2010 Legal Elite, and as “Best Lawyer” by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.  In addition, Mr. Bartlett was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2009 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the specialty of Commercial Litigation.  This honor was based on a rigorous peer-review survey comprising more than 2.5 million confidential evaluations by the top attorneys in the country.  Mr. Bartlett received his undergraduate degree with honors from Florida State University and his law degree from University of Florida, with high honors.  He has held numerous offices and terms with Sarasota County Bar Association including a term as president from 1993-1994.  He currently serves on the Executive Council of the Trial Lawyers Section of the Florida Bar Association.  Mr. Bartlett has also served as a trustee member for Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and numerous other civic boards and non-profit organizations.  He has been a resident in this community for 41 years.

Gavin W. Meshad – Vice Chairman
Gavin W. Meshad is Vice President of JWM Management, Inc., a real estate management, development and leasing company that currently owns and manages nearly 1 million square feet of commercial space in Florida, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia.  The company developed several well known projects in the Sarasota area such as Doctors Hospital of Sarasota, Maxfield Commerce Park, Gateway Professional Center and Midtown Medical Office Park.  Prior to joining JWM Management, Inc., Mr. Meshad served as Vice President for HCA Healthcare Corporation where he was responsible for a large nationwide managed care subsidiary under the HCA group.  Mr. Meshad received a BA in Economics from University of Georgia and an MBA from George Washington University.  He is a member of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County; a board member of the St. Armand’s Circle Business Improvement District (BID); and was recently appointed by Florida Governor Rick Scott to the Florida Board of Pharmacy as one of only two consumer members.  Mr. Meshad previously served as an advisory board member for SouthTrust Bank in Sarasota/Bradenton/Venice from 2001 to 2003.  Mr. Meshad is a life-long resident of Sarasota, and is the father of four daughters.

Dr. Gary K. Bockhold
Dr. Gary K. Bockhold is a board certified optometric physician with the prestigious Center for Sight Medical Group in Sarasota. A native of Warren, Ohio, Dr. Bockhold received his undergraduate and Doctor of Optometry degree from Ohio State University.  He then served as a clinical instructor at University Clinics until relocating to Sarasota in 1977.  He has owned and operated an optometry clinic in this area for more than 30 years.  His professional associations include membership in American Optometric Association, Florida Optometric Association and Manasota Society of Optometry, where he served as president from 1982 and 1983.  Dr. Bockhold is also a board member and past-president of Sunrise Rotary Club.  He has been a resident in this community for 34 years.

David J. Grain
David J. Grain is Chairman and CEO of Grain Management, a privately held investment company in Sarasota specializing in wireless communications throughout the United States.  Prior to forming Grain Management, Mr. Grain was President of Global Signal, Inc., a NYSE listed company.  Global Signal became one of the largest independent wireless communications tower companies in North America prior to selling to Crown Castle Corporation. Prior to joining Global Signal, Mr. Grain served as Senior Vice President of AT&T Broadband’s New England Region.  Prior to joining AT&T, he spent over a decade in the financial services industry in New York City, most recently as a Principal at Morgan Stanley.  Mr. Grain is active in national civic affairs, and in July 2011 was appointed by President Barack Obama as a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC). Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist appointed Mr. Grain to the State Board of Administration’s (SBA) Investment Advisory Council where he serves as Vice Chair.  The Florida SBA has oversight over how the State Retirement System Funds, Tobacco Settlement Funds and Hurricane Funds (collectively over $150 billion) are invested.  Mr. Grain received a BA in English from Holy Cross College in Worchester, Massachusetts and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.  He currently serves on the board of trustees for the Holy Cross College, and on the MBA advisory board for Amos Tuck.  Mr. Grain also serves on the advisory committee for Booker High School.  He has been a resident in this community for nine years.

David K. Maholias
David K. Maholias is President and CEO of the Gateway Bank of Florida and Gateway Financial Holdings of Florida, Inc., a position he has held since January 2006.  David has been a resident of Daytona Beach, Florida since 1975.  He has 21 years of banking experience with SouthTrust Bank and Barnett Bank within the Daytona Beach area.  For 11 years, he served on the Executive Management team for SouthTrust Bank’s Central Florida market encompassing Volusia, Flagler, Alachua, Lake and Sumter counties. Prior to joining Gateway Bank of Florida, he served as Executive Vice President and Senior Lender of SouthTrust Banks Central Florida market from 2002 until its sale to Wachovia in 2004.   Earlier he served eight years as Executive Vice President and Retail Banking Administrator for SouthTrust Bank’s Central Florida market overseeing 29 Banking Centers, Sales and Marketing, Compliance /CRA, Consumer Lending and Small Business Lending. Mr. Maholias is a graduate of Seabreeze High School and the University of South Florida with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Finance.  He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Daytona Beach Halifax Chamber, and has been appointed to the Florida Bankers Association’s Government relations Council every year since 2008.

Katherine K. Moulton
Katie K. Moulton has spent the past 25 years as President and General Manager of her family’s Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, a world-renowned destination on exclusive Longboat Key, which recently closed while major renovations are undertaken.  Under Ms. Moulton's leadership, The Colony was recognized as the number one tennis resort in the United States for an unprecedented eight consecutive years, and received countless awards and accolades from within the industry and media around the globe.  In addition, the resort was host to multiple U.S. Presidents and other dignitaries, elite athletes, entertainment celebrities, authors, and distinguished chefs and vintners.  Ms. Moulton earned a B.S. degree from Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration and joined the industry's leading consulting firm in Washington, D.C. In 1982 she returned to Sarasota to participate in managing The Colony.  Ms. Moulton was honored as the Independent Hotelier of the World from Hotels magazine, by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences as a leading hotelier in the world, Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Women in Business Award, Girls Inc. Visionary Award, Tourism Leader of the Year from the Sarasota CVB, Businessperson of the Year from Sarasota magazine and Maddux Report's Distinguished Women in Business Award. Ms. Moulton serves on a number of boards including South Tampa Bay Partnership, Sarasota Economic Development Corporation, University of South Florida / Sarasota School of Hotel & Restaurant Management, Business Advisory Council to the Superintendent of Schools, American Hotel & Lodging Association, and is the former Chairperson of Florida Lodging Association. Ms. Moulton is currently a Trustee for Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and a former Chairperson. Ms. Moulton’s prior board activities include the board of directors and K-20 Education Committee for the Florida Council of 100, Tourist Development Council, Sarasota CVB, and Girl’s Inc. board of directors and foundation board. Today she is leading the rehabilitation efforts at The Colony and consulting for other independent condo-hotel properties.  She has been a resident in this community for 43 years.

Wayne M. Ruben
Wayne M. Ruben is a partner in Ruben-Holland Development, LLC in Sarasota.  His company specializes in commercial and residential real estate development in Southwest Florida.  Mr. Ruben moved to Florida in 1992 to open the Florida division for Benderson Development Corporation, a New York based company.  As the managing partner for this new division, Mr. Ruben and staff spent the next twelve years completing over 80 projects and expanding the company’s holdings from a single shopping center to one that owned and operated several million square feet of retail, industrial, office and self-storage space throughout Florida.  Mr. Ruben is a highly regarded and sought after expert in real estate development working closely with the City of Sarasota, Sarasota County and Sarasota Memorial Health Systems in a variety of consultant roles.  He is best known for his ability to redevelop under-performing commercial projects by dramatically improving the project’s aesthetics and then pursuing a merchant mix of high quality national tenants that will complement each other thus resulting in higher than average occupancy, renewal rates and revenue.  In 2004, Mr. Ruben sold his interest in Benderson Development Corporation to form Ruben-Holland Development, LLC.  Mr. Ruben attended the American University in Washington, DC.  He currently serves as board member of the Savoy on Palm condominium association, and has been a resident in this community for 18 years.

David E. Sessions
David E. Sessions is President and CEO of Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc., a commercial general contractor located in Sarasota.  Mr. Sessions received his General Contractor’s license in 1985, joined Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc. in 1988 and purchased the company in 1989. The company was established in 1972 and has developed into a mid-size construction management firm serving specialized client markets throughout Southwest Florida. A few of the company’s clients include the School Boards of Sarasota and Manatee counties, Ringling School of Art and Design, New College, Mote Marine and numerous other well known businesses throughout the area. Most recently, the company was recognized as one of the highest quality construction companies in the area and in 2010 won the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s prestigious Frank G. Berlin, Sr., Think Green Business of the Year Award. The company also won the Manatee Chamber’s 2010 Small Business of the Year Award. In 2009, the company received the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County’s Hall of Fame “Green to Gold” Award.  In 2007, they were awarded Service Company of the Year by the EDC of Sarasota County. In 2006, they were awarded the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s Frank G. Berlin, Sr., Small Business of the Year Award.  Mr. Sessions was named 2008 CEO of the Yearin the construction and real estate category by Tampa Bay CEO magazine. Mr. Sessions graduated from University of Florida with a BS in Building Construction. He currently serves on various boards including the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, Manatee County Construction Code Board of Appeals, and SCOPE (Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence). Mr. Sessions is Chairman of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County. He is also Chairman of StartUps, and past Chairman of the Sarasota County Education foundation. Mr. Sessions has been a resident in this community for 28 years.