NEW YORK, April 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Metropolitan Commercial Bank, a New York City based commercial bank, announced that its Board of Directors has appointed two new members, Maria F. Ramirez and William P. Reinhardt.

"2014 is all about growth," commented Mark R. DeFazio, President and CEO of Metropolitan Commercial Bank. "We accomplished several strategic initiatives in the past 12 months. The addition of two new board members is part of our long-term plan. Maria and Bill bring experience and skill-sets that complement our already strong Board."

Mrs. Ramirez and Mr. Reinhardt are both widely recognized for their accomplishments. "Maria is a well-respected economist, and she is called on regularly by major news networks," said DeFazio. "She brings a keen understanding of capital markets, and exceptional skill in managing interest and investment risk."

"Bill is a veteran regulator who held several senior positions at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). He understands the balance between effective regulation and the need for banks to do business," added DeFazio.

"Maria and Bill's financial services acumen, commercial banking experience and first-hand knowledge of our markets adds further depth to our Board."

About Maria F. Ramirez

Maria Fiorini Ramirez is President and Chief Executive Officer of Maria Fiorini Ramirez, Inc. (MFR), an independent global economic and financial consulting firm formed in August 1992. Mrs. Ramirez and her colleagues are highly rated for their consistently accurate, unbiased analysis of economic trends and other issues that affect markets and investment decisions.

Mrs. Ramirez is a frequent speaker at U.S. and international forums. She has used her economic and financial expertise to great advantage as director of a diverse group of public and private corporations, as well as not-for-profit corporations; she continues to serve on many of their boards.

"Maria has been an active board member of several major financial services companies, including banks," said DeFazio. Mrs. Ramirez is a member of the Board of Directors of Security Mutual Life, AMF Funds and is a member of the Investment Policy Committee of Edward Jones & Co.

About William P. Reinhardt

Mr. Reinhardt is a Senior Director with Alvarez & Marsal Financial Industry Advisory Services (Alvarez & Marsal) in New York. With more than 38 years of experience in regulatory banking, he brings a broad background in international banking, community banks and bank supervision.

Mr. Reinhardt has held senior positions at the OCC. His responsibilities included supervisory authority for several large U.S. and international banking institutions. Mr. Reinhardt's primary areas of concentration include banking regulation, credit risk management, corporate governance, due diligence, enforcement and rehabilitation.

Since joining Alvarez & Marsal, Mr. Reinhardt has assisted with the stabilization, recapitalization and restructuring of the four banks that Lehman Brothers owned. 

"Bill is very familiar to us," said DeFazio. "From the Bank's inception in 1999 to 2005, he was the primary OCC regulator assigned to the Bank and was part of the Alvarez & Marsal team who consulted with the Bank last year."

About Metropolitan Commercial Bank

In addition to Mr. Reinhardt and Mrs. Ramirez, Metropolitan Commercial Bank's Board of Directors consists of:

• David Gavrin, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Metropolitan Commercial Bank; Partner, Gavrin Associates, Inc.; Retired Investment Banker
• Mark R. DeFazio, President and Chief Executive Officer, Metropolitan Commercial Bank
• Benjamin Fishoff, Retired Electronic Financier
• Mark Goldberg, Goldberg & Pines Law Firm – Lawyer
• Harvey Gutman, President, Brookside Advisors, LLC – Consultant
• Walter Harris, Vice Chairman Emeritus – Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.
• Robert Patent, President of Colby Capital – Private Equity Investor
• George Wolf, Jr., Managing Director of Herrick, Feinstein LLP

Metropolitan Commercial Bank, headquartered in New York City is a community-focused commercial bank offering a broad array of financial products delivered with high-quality, personal customer service. The Bank's positioning — Personal Service | Global Perspective — is not just its brand, but also its corporate focus. Metropolitan is continually building its long-term franchise while paying strict attention to asset quality and expense management. Metropolitan provides a full range of financial products to commercial and consumer clients including deposit, loan and cash management services.

For additional information, please visit www.MetropolitanBankNY.com.

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SOURCE Metropolitan Commercial Bank