Deborah Stephenson, former senior executive vice president and chief compliance officer at Berkshire Bank, has been appointed president and CEO of Brattleboro Savings & Loan. She succeeds Dan Yates, who will retire at the end of December after 17 years leading the bank.
“It was a really rigorous search for us,” said BS&L board chair Carmen Derby. “We expected great candidates, but were a little surprised at just how much interest there was in taking this role at BS&L. Over and over, candidates talked about the values of the bank and the communities it serves, which means we’re doing something really right.”
In her previous position, Stephenson was instrumental in growing Berkshire Bank's assets from $2 billion to $13 billion during her tenure. Stephenson has also previously worked at Woronoco Savings Bank in Westfield, MA, where she served as vice president for retail banking and compliance, and as a bank examiner for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, among other institutions.
“I love what I do and am proud of all that my teams have achieved,” Stephenson said. “However, I am at a point in my career where my values must align with the bank and community I serve, and that’s what brought me (to BS&L).”
Stephenson is a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in economics and finance.