Panther Community Bank, N. A.
Officers

Karen R. Makowski, President and CEO - Ms. Makowski has over thirty years of successfully leading financial service organizations as large as $13 billion with more than 8500 employees, as well as small enterprises. She has served on more than fifty non-profit boards and associations. Mrs. Makowski currently serves on the Board of the Lehigh Acres Chamber of Commerce, SunCoast Woman’s Forum, and is campaign co-chair for the new Hope Hospice Home in Lehigh Acres.

Philip Nemni, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer - Mr. Nemni, with over twenty years in banking, has been the Chief Financial Officer of several banks in Southwest Florida. He is extensively involved with many local non-profits including United Way of Collier County and Operation Soldier Care.

Brenda Dolan, Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer - Originally from New England, Ms. Dolan brings over thirty years in the banking/lending industry from banks in New Hampshire, West Palm Beach, and Fort Myers.  She has been active in non-profits throughout her career serving in board and officer positions for local philanthropic groups and volunteer organizations such as the American Cancer Society, The Lee Memorial Hospital volunteer board of directors, Rotary, and the American Heart Association. Mrs. Dolan currently serves the St. Therese Council of Catholic Woman as President, sits on the Pastoral Council and is active in the church ministries.

John M. Kerschner, Vice President, Business Development - Mr. Kerschner comes to us from Columbus, Ohio where he worked with Fifth Third Bank for seven years as a Retail District Manager then with the Business Banking Group, managing commercial loan and deposit portfolios. Mr. Kerschner is very active in the Lee County community through membership in Lehigh Acres, Cape Coral, SW Florida, and Greater Ft. Myers Chambers of Commerce, the Rotary, Knights of Columbus, and ABL as well as numerous networking groups.

Michael Beitzinger, Vice President, Branch Manager - Mr. Beitzinger recently relocated from South Bend, Indiana where his experience in banking included National City Bank, Key Bank and Teachers Credit Union. He was also the Assistant Director for Community and Economic Development in South Bend.

Gina Gioia, Vice President, Bank Secrecy/Compliance Officer - Ms. Gioia was the Bank Secrecy Act/Anti- Money Laundering Program Manager of NetBank, Inc.  and previously served as Vice President, Senior Compliance Manager of Global Anti- Money Laundering Compliance at Bank of America.  Her community experience includes coordinator for the Guardian Ad Litem program (Duval & Okaloosa Counties), HabiJax for Humanity (Jacksonville), and Hubbard House (Jacksonville’s battered women’s shelter). Ms Gioia has served as a church lector, a religious education teacher, and coordinator for the Rainbows, which ministers to children from divorced or widowed families. Since relocating to Lehigh, Ms. Gioia is active in Lehigh Acres' Kiwanis club.

Diane Pledger, Branch Operations Manager - Ms. Pledger brings a long history of local banking management from First American Bank, Pelican National Bank and Colonial Bank. She has lived in Lehigh Acres for thirty-five years and is most famous for her work with the Pop Warner Football Association.

Arlene Festa, Assistant Vice President, Loan Operations - Ms. Festa, a Lehigh Acres resident, has over eight years in the banking/loan field with positions at Old Florida Bank, Ft. Myers along with Pointe Bank and First Southern Bank, both in Boca Raton. Her experience encompasses all aspects of loan administration, loan operations and documentation.