Board of Directors

Mr. Kavanaugh is the President and CEO of the Company and its wholly-owned banking subsidiary, First Foundation Bank (“FFB”). Mr. Kavanaugh has served as CEO of the Company since December 2009 and as President of the Company since December 2022. Previously, Mr. Kavanaugh served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company from June 2007 until December 2009. Mr. Kavanaugh has been the Vice-Chairman of the Company since June 2007, and the Chairman of FFB since September 2007. Mr. Kavanaugh was a founding stockholder and served as an Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer and a member of the board of directors of Commercial Capital Bancorp, Inc., the parent holding company of Commercial Capital Bank. During his tenure as an executive officer and director of Commercial Capital Bancorp, Inc. that company became a publicly traded company, listed on NASDAQ, and its total assets grew to more than $1.7 billion. From 1998 until 2003, Mr. Kavanaugh served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and a director of Commercial Capital Mortgage. From 1993 to 1998, Mr. Kavanaugh was a partner and head of trading for fixed income and equity securities at Great Pacific Securities, Inc., a west coast-based regional securities firm.

Mr. Kavanaugh earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accounting at the University of Tennessee and a Masters of Business Administration (“MBA”) degree in Information Systems at North Texas State University. Mr. Kavanaugh is, and since 2008 has been, a member of the board of directors of Colorado Federal Savings Bank and its parent holding company, Silver Queen Financial Services, Inc. Since March 2015, Mr. Kavanaugh has served as director for Nexpoint Residential Trust Inc., a publicly traded real estate investment trust that is advised by NexPoint Real Estate Advisors, L.P., an affiliate of Highland Capital Management, L.P. Mr. Kavanaugh has also served as director for NexPoint Real Estate Finance since 2020 and as director for VineBrook Homes Trust, Inc. since 2018. Mr. Kavanaugh served as a member of the boards of directors of NexBank SSB and its parent holding company, NexBank Capital, Inc. from December 2013 until December 2015. From January 2000 until June 2012, Mr. Kavanaugh served as Independent Trustee and Chairman of the Audit Committee, and from June 2012 until December 2013 served as Chairman of the Highland Mutual Funds, a mutual fund group managed by Highland Capital Management, L.P. Mr. Kavanaugh is also a director on the Lanakila Pacific’s Foundation Board. The Board believes that Mr. Kavanaugh’s extensive experience as an executive officer of banks and other financial services organizations, combined with his experience as a director of both public and private companies, qualifies him to serve as a member of our Board. In addition, because Mr. Kavanaugh is the Company’s CEO, we believe that his participation as a member of the Board facilitates communication between the outside Board members and management.

Mr. Hakopian is, and since April 2009 has been, the President of FFA, and is and since 2007 has been, a member of the Board. Mr. Hakopian was one of the founders of FFA in 1990, when it began its operations as a fee-based investment advisor, and served as its Executive Vice President and Co- Portfolio Manager from 1994 through April 2009. Mr. Hakopian earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from UCI and a MBA degree in Finance from the University of Southern California.
Mr. Hakopian’s extensive knowledge of the Company’s wealth management and investment advisory business makes him a valuable member of the Board who is able to provide the outside Board members with insight into the operations and risks of that business.

Mr. Keller is one of the founders of the Company and currently is the Executive Chairman of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, First Foundation Advisors (“FFA”). Mr. Keller served as Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of FFA from 1990, when it began operations as a fee- only investment advisor, until December 2009, at which time he became its Executive Chairman. In 2007, Mr. Keller became the Executive Chairman of the Company and from June 2007 until December 2009 he also served as the CEO of the Company. Mr. Keller earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from San Diego State University and completed the financial planning program at the University of Southern California. Mr. Keller served as a Trustee of the University of California Irvine (“UCI”) for 15 years. During that time he was Chair of the Foundation Finance & Investment Committee and continues to serve as a member of the Investment Committee. Mr. Keller also serves as a member of the executive committee of the UCI Diabetes Center. Mr. Keller served as Co-Chair for the Center for Investment and Wealth Management at the Paul Merage School of Business at UCI. Mr. Keller serves as a member of the Orange County Sheriff’s Advisory Council. As one of the founders of the Company, who played a key role in the development and successful implementation of our business strategy of providing high quality and personalized wealth management and investment advisory services to our clients and the expansion of the financial services we offer our clients, Mr. Keller brings to the Board considerable knowledge and valuable insights about the wealth management and investment advisory business and the Southern California financial services market.

Mr. Sonenshine has served as a director of the Company since 2007. Mr. Sonenshine is, and since 2012, has served as President of Prell Restaurant Group, an operator of fast casual restaurants. From 2006 until 2012, Mr. Sonenshine served as the President and Chief Operating Officer of Professionals Retirement Strategy, a retirement planning and entity risk management firm. From 1999 to 2005, Mr. Sonenshine was President and co-founder of RSM EquiCo, an investment bank specializing in mergers and acquisitions of privately-held middle market companies. Mr. Sonenshine earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and a Bachelor of Administration degree in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania, and a J.D. degree and a MBA degree from the University of Southern California. We believe Mr. Sonenshine’s experience as President of a retirement planning firm is valuable to the Board in overseeing FFA’s wealth management and investment advisory business.

Dr. Rosenberg has served as a director of the Company since 2007. Dr. Rosenberg is, and since 2005 has served as, President and founder of the consulting firm of M. M. Rosenberg & Associates, which provides executive and organizational development services to public and private companies in the fields of financial services, health care and technology. From 2002 to 2005, Dr. Rosenberg was Chief Executive Officer for The Picerne Group, an international investment firm investing primarily in real estate, and portfolios of loans. Prior to 2002, Dr. Rosenberg served as Executive Vice President and Director of Business Services for Ameriquest Capital Corporation and directed the Human Resource and Organizational Development functions for Washington Mutual Bank, American Savings Bank and Great Western Bank. Dr. Rosenberg earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Ohio University, a Masters of Science degree in Industrial Psychology from California State University, Long Beach, and a Ph.D. degree in Psychology with an emphasis on Organizational Behavior from Claremont Graduate University, which is the graduate university of the Claremont Colleges. We believe that Dr. Rosenberg’s educational and operational experience in managing the human resource and organizational development functions of a number of banking organizations and a real estate investment firm provides insight regarding the Company’s human resource functions, including compensation considerations that will impact the Company’s growth and expansion.

From 2005 to 2012, Mr. Briggs served as Chairman of the Board of Desert Commercial Bank (“DCB”). He was elected as a director of the Company following the Company’s acquisition of DCB in August 2012. Mr. Briggs is, and since 1996 has been the President and CEO of FLC Capital Advisors, a wealth management firm with over $600 million of assets under administration. From 1992 to 2007, Mr. Briggs served as CEO of Franklin Loan Center, a mortgage banking company. Mr. Briggs earned a Business Administration and Finance degree from Stetson University. We believe Mr. Briggs is a valuable member of our Board due to his knowledge of the banking business, gained from his service as Chairman of DCB, particularly as conducted in Palm Desert, California, and its surrounding communities, where we have two of our wealth management offices, and his experience as President and CEO of a wealth management firm.

Ms. Pagliarini has served as a director of the Company since 2019. Ms. Pagliarini is, and since September 2014 has been, the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, and since 2019 the Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer, of Summit Healthcare REIT, Inc., a Maryland corporation that invests in and owns real estate. Her background includes experience in finance, accounting, operations, compliance, securities litigation and executive management. Prior to working at Summit, Ms. Pagliarini was chief compliance officer and FINOP (financial and operations principal) at a Los Angeles-based investment bank from 2005 to 2008, and a principal at a securities litigation and financial consulting firm 2001 to 2005. Ms. Pagliarini received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Valparaiso University. She is also a Certified Fraud Examiner. Ms. Pagliarini is active in her community, serving on the Emeritus Board of Directors for Forever Footprints, a non-profit organization that provides support to families that have suffered the loss of a baby during pregnancy or infancy, and is the Chair of the Mission Viejo, California City Council Investment Advisory Commission. We believe that Ms. Pagliarini’s educational and executive experience in managing the financial, accounting, securities filing and operations functions of several finance-oriented firms qualifies her to serve as a member of our Board.

Ms. Rubin has served as a director of the Company since 2019. Ms. Rubin is continuing in a career of more than 44 years in accounting and accounting industry and practice oversight roles. In 2022, she was appointed by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to the newly-formed Standards and Emerging Issues Advisory Group. Ms. Rubin was from January 2016 to December 2020, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Financial Accounting Foundation, and in 2019 was elected to serve as the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees. The Financial Accounting Foundation is the organization responsible for the oversight, administration and appointment of the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. From 2012 to 2015 Ms. Rubin served as a member of the Private Company Council, an advisory board that works with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) to determine possible alternatives within GAAP for private companies. From 1996 to 2012 Ms. Rubin served as an Audit Partner and Quality Control Partner with the San Francisco- based Novogradac & Company LLP. In 1989 Ms. Rubin established an independent diversified audit, accounting and tax firm with clients including small businesses, broker/dealers, non-profits and professional organizations. Ms. Rubin has experience in accounting and financial accounting roles with insurance, technology and banking firms. Ms. Rubin started her career with Price Waterhouse & Co. in 1975 in that firm’s audit practice. We believe that Ms. Rubin’s deep knowledge of accounting and auditing qualifies her to serve as a member of our Board.

Mr. Lake has served as a director of the Company since June 1, 2018. Since 1993 Mr. Lake has been the Chief Executive Officer of and a co-founder of 4EARTH Farms, Inc., a grower and value-added produce company with over 400 employees in California and affiliated operations in other states. Mr. Lake served as the Chairman of the board of directors of PBB Bancorp, since its formation in May 2014, and of the board of directors of its wholly-owned subsidiary Premier Business Bank from July 2006 until the June 2018 acquisition of PBB Bancorp by the Company. Mr. Lake serves on the executive board, chair search of new director, and compensation committee of the Orange County Museum of Art. We believe Mr. Lake brings to the Board his knowledge of operating a highly successful company and his experience as an independent director of a community bank in Southern California.

Mr. Vazquez has served as a director of the Company since 2023. He is, and has been since 2016, the Vice President and Associate General Counsel for Operations for Vistra Corp. (“Vistra”) (NYSE: VST), a leading Fortune 500 integrated power company based in Irving, Texas. In addition to managing and supporting the legal operations of Vistra and its national retail energy businesses, Mr. Vazquez oversees the legal department’s operations (including fiscal reporting and department project planning), and also facilitates the execution of Vistra’s enterprise crisis management program. Prior to his current role, Mr. Vazquez served as general counsel for TXU Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vistra, from 2008 to 2016. He was previously a corporate attorney for Michaels Stores, Inc. and was in private practice with the law firm of Gardere Wynne, which has since merged with Foley & Lardner LLP.

Mr. Vazquez currently serves on the Board of Trustees and on the Executive Committee of the Dallas Bar Foundation and is the current Secretary-Treasurer. He also serves on the non-profit board of the Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas Foundation Inc. as a trustee and as a member of the Development Committee, and he is president of the Alumni Board. Mr. Vazquez received his undergraduate degree from Southern Methodist University and his law degree from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law, where he was a Sarah T. Hughes Fellow. We believe Mr. Vazquez’s background as a senior leader in a large, highly-regulated and publicly-traded business qualifies him to serve as a member of our Board.