Rodney Whitwell

Rodney C. Whitwell is a Principal at Patriot Financial Partners with 40 years of banking experience in executive and leadership roles.13 He is known for his strong track record of strategic and organizational transformation across the financial services industry.24

Prior to joining Patriot, Whitwell served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Administrative Officer at Sterling Bancorp for approximately a decade.1 During his time at Sterling, he was responsible for:

1. Articulating Sterling's strategy
2. Overseeing the company's transformation from a small community bank into a top-tier regional bank
3. Rebuilding and modernizing various areas of the bank, including:
   • Building a new culture
   • Replacing the technology stack
   • Creating an efficient operating model
   • Upgrading talent
   • Completing multiple M&A transactions

Before his role at Sterling, Whitwell held several other positions:

• Principal at Mercatus Consulting
• CEO of Union Federal Savings Bank
• Senior leadership positions at Key Bank, Unisys Corporation, and Huntington Bank1

Whitwell's expertise and experience make him a valuable asset to Patriot Financial Partners, a private equity firm focused on investing in community banks, thrifts, and financial services-related companies throughout the United States.2