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 and Dr. P.T. “Bud” Fleuchaus.

Shaun P. Merriman – President and CEO
Shaun P. Merriman is President, CEO and Organizing Director of Gateway Bank of Southwest Florida. A 25-year banking veteran, Mr. Merriman previously 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 Mr. Merriman’s career was spent with SouthTrust Corporation. He held several senior leadership positions with SouthTrust including six years as Executive Vice President and Senior Lender for SouthTrust Bank’s Central Florida Market overseeing all loan production, credit administration, compliance and CRA activities for this six county region. In February 1999, he relocated to Birmingham, Alabama as the Senior Officer managing Metropolitan Commercial Banking activities for all eight states operating under SouthTrust’s General Bank. In late 2000, he relocated to Sarasota as the President and CEO of SouthTrust’s Suncoast Market overseeing all commercial and consumer banking operations for 22 banking centers in Manatee, Sarasota and North Charlotte counties. In 2003, he relocated to Houston, Texas to manage the company’s expansion efforts assimilating three recently acquired community banks with 22 banking centers increasing the total to 30 within 18 months. Mr. Merriman 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 the 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 a board member for Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, board member and Treasurer for the Van Wezel Performing Arts Foundation, trustee board member for Doctors Hospital, and board member and past Chairman for the United Way of Sarasota County. Mr. Merriman has been a resident in this community for eight years.

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 30 years and served as president of the 32 attorney, 80 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 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. More recently, Mr. Bartlett has been named to Florida Trend’s 2010 Legal Elite, and as “Best Lawyer” by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. 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 40 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 Sarasota, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia. The company developed several well known office parks in the area such as Doctor’s Hospital of Sarasota, Maxfield Commerce Park, Gateway Professional Park, Midtown Medical Park and numerous other class “A” projects. Prior to joining JWM Management. Inc., Mr. Meshad served as Vice President for HCA Healthcare Corporation where he oversaw 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 and a board member and facilities chairman for Cardinal Mooney High School. He was also an advisory board member for SouthTrust Bank in Sarasota/Bradenton/Venice from 2001 to 2003. Mr. Meshad is a life-long resident in this community.

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 33 years.

Dr. P.T. “Bud” Fleuchaus
Dr. P.T. “Bud” Fleuchaus is retired president of Florida Oral and Facial Surgical Associates in Ormond Beach, Florida. Dr. Fleuchaus is also the Board Chairman of Gateway Financial Holdings of Florida, Inc., the parent company of Gateway Bank of Southwest Florida. He was the organizing director and chairman of Tomoka State Bank and served on the advisory board of Colonial Bank following its acquisition of Tomoka State Bank. He was an organizing director and chairman of Peninsula Bank which merged with Southern Community Bank prior to becoming First National Bank of Florida and subsequently Fifth Third Bank. Dr. Fleuchaus has served his community in a variety of leadership positions over the years and served as a Volusia County Councilman for eight years.

David J. Grain
David J. Grain is Chairman and CEO of Grain Communications Group, Inc., a privately held investment company in Sarasota specializing in wireless communications throughout the United States. Prior to forming Grain Communications Group, Inc., 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 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 7 years.

David K. Maholias
David K. Maholias is President and CEO of 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 20 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 for SouthTrust Bank’s 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 received a BS in Finance from University of South Florida. 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 is President and General Manager of The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, a world-renowned, family-owned destination on exclusive Longboat Key. Recognized as the number one tennis resort in the United States for an unprecedented eight consecutive years, the resort’s combination of all-suite accommodations, world-class dining, exclusive beaches and a host of other full service resort amenities create The Colony’s distinctive character. Ms. Moulton earned a degree with honors from the country’s foremost training ground for the industry, Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. After graduating, she joined the industry’s leading consulting firm in Washington, D.C. and eventually returned to her roots on Longboat Key. Since 1969, The Colony Beach and Tennis Resort has received countless awards and accolades from leading industry magazines and other publications throughout the world. Most recently Ms. Moulton was honored by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences in December 2008 as one of the leading hoteliers in the world. Other personal honors include the prestigious Independent Hotelier of the World designation from Hotels magazine, Tampa Bay Business Journal 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 in a leadership role on a number of boards including K-20 Education Committee for the Florida Council of 100, South Tampa Bay Partnership, Community Leadership Council of University of South Florida (Sarasota), Sarasota Economic Development Corporation, Tourist Development Council, American Hotel & Lodging Association, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, and is the former Chairperson of Florida Lodging Association. She is also on the Business Advisory Council to the Superintendant of Schools. Ms. Moulton is currently a Trustee for Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and a former Chairperson. She has been a resident in this community for 41 years.

Wayne M. Ruben
Wayne M. Ruben is a partner in Ruben-Holland Development, LLC LLC 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 has been a resident in this community for 17 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 Year in 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, Florida House, SCOPE, Manatee County Construction Code Board of Appeals, and Peace River Electric Cooperative. Mr. Sessions is Chairman of StartUps, and past Chairman of the Sarasota County Education foundation. He is the Vice-Chair of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, and Chair-Elect for 2011. Mr. Sessions has been a resident in this community for 27 years.