Oak Ridge, N.J. – Jan. 13, 2020 – Thomas J. Shara, President and CEO of Lakeland Bank, is pleased to announce the following promotions.
Ellen Lalwani has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Banking Officer based in Oak Ridge, N.J. In this role, Lalwani will be responsible for leading all functions related to consumer revenue generation. She began her career with Lakeland Bank in 2008 as Senior Vice President, Director of Retail Sales. Lalwani was promoted in January 2016 to First Senior Vice President, Chief Retail Officer and to Executive Vice President, Chief Retail Officer in October 2016. She earned a bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in economics from St. John’s University and is a graduate of the American Bankers Association Stonier Graduate School of Banking. She has also earned an Aresty Scholar designation from The Wharton School of Business. Lalwani is a member of the St. John’s University Alumni Association and serves on the board of the Hudson County Community College Foundation. She resides in Ridgewood, N.J.
Karen Garrera has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Retail Officer based in Oak Ridge, N.J. In this role, Garrera will be responsible for leading Retail Sales, Retail Administration, Business Development, Small Business Banking Sales and Branch Administration. She began her career with Lakeland Bank in 2000 through the acquisition of Metropolitan State Bank as Vice President and Regional Administrator for the Southern Region. In 2007, Garrera was promoted to Senior Vice President, Regional Administrator and to First Senior Vice President and Senior Regional Administrator in 2016. She is a board member for Chilton Medical Center Foundation. Garrera resides in Frankford Township, N.J.
Jenifer Thoma has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer based in Oak Ridge, N.J. In this role, Thoma will continue to be responsible for leading all of the department’s functions including associate engagement and relations, benefits, compensation, talent acquisition, payroll, human resource information systems and learning and development. She began her career with Lakeland Bank in 2016 as First Senior Vice President and Director of Human Resources. Thoma earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from New Jersey City University and a Master of Science in organizational management and human resource development from Manhattanville College. Thoma resides in Vernon, N.J.
Susan Scimone-Bellini has been promoted to Senior Regional Administrator based in Hackensack, N.J. In this role, Scimone-Bellini will lead the department to support the functions of Retail Administration. She began her career with Lakeland Bank in 2009 as Vice President, Branch Manager of the West Caldwell office. In 2015, she was promoted to Regional Administrator of the Eastern Region. Scimone-Bellini currently serves on the boards for bergenPAC and the FBI Newark Citizens Academy Alumni Association. She resides in Palisades Park, N.J.
About Lakeland Bank
Lakeland Bank is the wholly-owned subsidiary of Lakeland Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:LBAI), which has over $6 billion in total assets. With an extensive branch network and commercial lending centers throughout New Jersey and Highland Mills, N.Y., the Bank offers business and retail banking products and services. Business services include commercial loans and lines of credit, commercial real estate loans, loans for healthcare services, asset based lending, equipment financing, small business loans and lines, and cash management services. Consumer services include online and mobile banking, home equity loans and lines, mortgage options and wealth management solutions. Lakeland is proud to be recognized as New Jersey’s #1 Best-In-State Banks by Forbes and Statista, rated a 5-Star Bank by Bauer Financial and named one of New Jersey’s 50 Fastest Growing Companies by NJBIZ. Visit LakelandBank.com for more information.
