Board of Directors

Mr. Kavanaugh brings proven entrepreneurial executive leadership and a strong knowledge of finance, banking and real estate to First Foundation and its affiliates. In his role as the CEO of First Foundation, he is responsible for providing strategic leadership and overseeing the operations of both First Foundation Advisors and First Foundation Bank.

Mr. Kavanaugh was formerly an Executive Vice President and Director of Secondary Marketing for Provident Funding. Mr. Kavanaugh was a founding stockholder of Commercial Capital Bancorp and served as Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer from June 1999 to February 2003. Mr. Kavanaugh also served as Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Commercial Capital Mortgage since its formation in 1998 until 2003. During his tenure, the bank grew over 400% and was successfully taken public in December 2002. Other responsibilities included management of interest rate risk, Director of Human Resources, Director of the Trust Department, and negotiation of loan transactions, loan review, and oversight of operations in the mortgage company. He was Chairman of ALCO, and a member of Executive, Compliance, Information Technology, Loan and Internal Asset Review committees.

Mr. Kavanaugh currently serves on several corporate and community boards. He is the Lead Director on the Board of Directors for NexPoint Residential Trust, Inc. located in Dallas, TX and serves as the Lead Director on the Board of Directors for VineBrook Partners LLC, a private REIT that purchases, owns, and operates affordable single-family housing. He also is on the Board of Directors of Colorado Federal Savings Bank in Greenwood Village, CO and its parent holding company, Silver Queen Financial Services Inc. In 2018, he was appointed to the Board of Lanakila Pacific Foundation located in Honolulu, HI.

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 managed by Highland Capital Management, an SEC registered investment advisor headquartered in Dallas, TX. Prior to entering banking, Mr. Kavanaugh spent a majority of his career in investment banking. After becoming a partner of Great Pacific Securities, Inc., a west coast-based regional firm, Mr. Kavanaugh became Head of Trading for fixed income and equity securities.

Mr. Kavanaugh earned a BS in Business Administration - Accounting at the University of Tennessee and a Master’s of Business Administration in Information Systems at University of North Texas.

Mr. Hakopian oversees the vision, strategy, operations and development of the investment management service for the firm. His entrepreneurial spirit combined with his focus on results, exceptional interpersonal skills, and ability to emphasize people’s core needs continue to drive First Foundation’s management success as the regions’ leading independent wealth advisory firm.

Having been with First Foundation since its inception in 1990, Mr. Hakopian has been closely involved in developing and delivering the firm’s investment services. He became President in 2009.

Mr. Hakopian earned a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in economics in three years from the University of California, Irvine and an MBA in Finance from the University of Southern California.

Mr. Keller established the First Foundation Advisors’ predecessor organization in 1990. During the past 24 years he has provided the vision and investment management leadership to create an integrated financial company offering wealth management, consulting, trust and banking services. As the Chairman of the Board he defines and communicates our corporate values throughout the organization and communities we serve. His knowledge of the economy is a key part in delivering investment management services at First Foundation Advisors. He is a recognized leader in the field of investment advisors.

Rick served as a Trustee of the University of California, Irvine Foundation, chair of the Foundation’s Investment Committee, and is a current member of the Investment Committee. Mr. Keller was honored to be selected as consultant to the Investment Advisory Committee of The Regents of the University of California. Mr. Keller is a founding member of The Center for Investment and Wealth Management (CIWM) at UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business. He served as co-chair of CIWM’s Executive Committee and Advisory Board for six years and was also a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board. Mr. Keller is active on several other boards of directors, including the Orange County Sheriff’s Advisory Board.

Mr. Keller is a former executive board member of the UCI Center for Diabetes Treatment and Research. He served as member of the UC Irvine Planned Giving Forum, as well as on its steering committee. He also served as member of the board of directors of the Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.’s Institutional Advisory Board, the Orange County Business Committee for the Arts, and the formerly named Orange County Performing Arts Center (Segerstrom Center for the Arts). At various times, Mr. Keller has served on the City of Irvine’s Investment Committee as chair, the board of directors of Institute of Certified Financial Planners of Orange County, Hoag Hospital Endowment Council, and Planned Giving Round Table of Orange County.

Mr. Keller earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from San Diego State University. He completed the financial planning program at the University of Southern California.