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Board of Directors

William R. Peeples headshot

William R. Peeples

Mr. Peeples was Vice Chairman of the Board of Community West Bancshares (CWBC) since its inception in 1997 and a founder and Director of CWB since 1989. In February 2004 he was named Chairman of CWBC. Mr. Peeples serves on CWB’s Loan, Personnel/Compensation, Executive and Management Succession Committees. He has served in various financial capacities including President and Chief Financial Officer of Nusil Corporation and Imulok Corporation from 1980 to 1985. Additionally, he has been active as a private investor and currently serves as Managing General Partner of two industrial buildings. Mr. Peeples holds a BBA from Wisconsin State University and an MBA from Golden Gate University, Air Force on-base program.

Robert H. Bartlein headshot

Robert H. Bartlein

Mr. Bartlein has been a member of the Board of Community West Bancshares (CWBC) since its inception in 1997 and a founder and Director of CWB since 1989. In February 2004 Mr. Bartlein was named Chairman of the Board of CWB. Mr. Bartlein also serves as Chairman of the Loan Committee and a member of the Executive Committee. He is President and CEO of Bartlein & Company Inc., a property management company founded in 1969 with five California offices as well as offices in other states. Mr. Bartlein is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Finance, Investments and Banking, and did post-graduate study at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Mr. Bartlein is past President and a Director of the American Lung Association of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.

Martin Alwin headshot

Martin Alwin

Mr. Alwin has been a member of the Board of Community West Bancshares (CWBC) and CWB since 2022. Prior to joining PL Capital in 2018, he was a Vice President in Piper Jaffray’s Financial Services Investment Banking Group. Mr. Alwin began his career at Howe Barnes Hoefer & Arnett, holding positions as an analyst on the equity sales & trading desk and an analyst in the financial services investment banking group. He is a graduate of Lawrence University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, and earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.

Jean W. Blois, Director Emeritus headshot

Jean W. Blois, Director Emeritus

Ms. Blois became a member of the Board of Community West Bancshares (CWBC) at its inception in 1997 and of CWB in 1989, and retired from active service on the Board in 2021. She co-founded Blois Construction Inc. and served in a financial capacity before retirement, as well as forming her own consulting firm, Jean to the Rescue. Ms. Blois graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. She served as a Trustee of the Goleta Union School District for 13 years, a Director of the Goleta Water District for 10 years and in December 2004 was named Mayor for the City of Goleta.

Dana L. Boutain headshot

Dana L. Boutain

Ms. Boutain has been a member of the Board of Community West Bancshares (CWBC) and CWB since June 2017. She is a Managing Director in the Oxnard office of CBIZ, an accountancy, financial services and insurance services firm, specializing in tax planning and consulting, transaction structuring and financial statement compilations and reviews for businesses in the construction, manufacturing and real estate industries. Ms. Boutain is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and California Society of Certified Public Accountants. She is a graduate of California State University Bakersfield with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, and earned a Master of Science in Taxation from Golden Gate University.

Suzanne Chadwick headshot

Suzanne Chadwick

Ms. Chadwick joined the Board of Directors of Community West Bank in August 2020. She worked for Santa Barbara Bank and Trust for over 20 years; as Senior Vice President and Private Client Relationship Manager, and was instrumental in the bank’s expansion into Ventura County. Ms. Chadwick was interim Executive Director of the Museum of Ventura County, currently serves as a Regent with California Lutheran University, where she has been active since 2013, serves on the Interface Children & Family Services Advisory Board, where she has been active since 2008, and also serves on the KCLU Advisory Board, where she has been a member since 1995.

Tom L. Dobyns headshot

Tom L. Dobyns

Mr. Dobyns has been a member of the Board of Community West Bancshares (CWBC) and CWB since June 2017. He has more than 40 years of bank management experience, including most recently as Chief Executive Officer of Mission Community Bank and President and Chief Executive Officer of American Security Bank. He founded Enthusiology, a managerial and leadership consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, executive coaching and energizing the sales process for banks, credit unions and nonprofit organizations. Mr. Dobyns serves as President of the Board of Directors for Court Appointed Special Advocates of San Luis Obispo County. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California, earning Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration degrees.

William F. Filippin headshot

William F. Filippin

Bill Filippin has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2022. He was named Chief Banking Officer of the bank in 2015, was promoted to Chief Credit Officer and Chief Administrative Officer in 2020, and was appointed President in 2021. Prior to joining Community West Bank, he served as Market Area President with Heritage Oaks Bank (and Mission Community Bank until it was merged into Heritage Oaks Bank), holding various executive positions from 2010 to 2015. Mr. Filippin is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

John D. Illgen headshot

John D. Illgen

Mr. Illgen has been a member of the Board of Community West Bancshares (CWBC) since its inception in 1997 and of CWB since 1989. He is Chairman of the Asset/Liability Committee and a member of CWB’s Personnel/Compensation and Compliance Committees. Mr. Illgen is Vice President of Northrop Grumman Simulation Technologies and is on special assignment to the U.S. Army, focused on training our Armed Forces using software simulation, virtual systems and live systems in a contemporary operational environment. Mr. Illgen is an honorary member of the Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors and a member and past President (1979-80) of Goleta Rotary Club.

James W. Lokey headshot

James W. Lokey

Mr. Lokey has more than 42 years of bank management experience, including Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Mission Community Bancorp (2010-2014); President of Rabobank, N.A. (2007-2009); President and Chief Executive Officer of Mid-State Bank & Trust (2000-2007); President and Chief Executive Officer of Downey Savings (1997-1998); Executive Vice President of First Interstate Bank/Wells Fargo Bank (1973-1996) and Past Chairman of California Bankers Association. He has significant ties in the communities of the Central Coast, including serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo; a Director of Cal Poly Corporation and Chairman of its investment committee; and Director of French Hospital Medical Center. Since retiring in 2014, Mr. Lokey has been active as a consultant and featured speaker regarding director education, enterprise risk management and mergers and acquisitions.

Shereef Moharram headshot

Shereef Moharram

Mr. Moharram has been a member of the Board of Community West Bancshares (CWBC) and CWB since December 2011. Mr. Moharram serves on CWB's Asset/Liability Committee. He is partner of Price Postel & Parma LLP, which is California's oldest law firm and Santa Barbara's oldest continuous business, founded in 1852. Mr. Moharram is a graduate of the University of California Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the UCLA School of Law.

Martin E. Plourd headshot

Martin E. Plourd

Martin E. Plourd was named a Director and President/Chief Executive Officer of the Bank and Vice President of Community West Bancshares on November 2, 2011. Mr. Plourd has been in banking for 30 years and a bank executive for 20 years. Since July 2009, he has worked as a consultant on engagements with bank strategic planning, acquisitions and compliance. From July 2005 to July 2009, Mr. Plourd served first as Chief Operating Officer and then President and Director of Temecula Valley Bank, Temecula, California. Prior to that, Mr. Plourd spent 18 years with Rabobank/Valley Independent Bank, El Centro, California, including his last position as Executive Vice President and Community Banking Officer. Mr. Plourd is a graduate of Stonier Graduate School of Banking and California State Polytechnic University.

Christopher R. Raffo headshot

Christopher R. Raffo

Mr. Raffo was appointed to the Board of Community West Bancshares (CWBC) and Community West Bank in August 2020. He served as Managing Director for Caldwell Securities Incorporated, a Sausalito based broker-dealer and investment advisory firm, where he led the Community Bank Services Group, and has held senior sales positions at Howe Barnes Investments, Podesta & Co., Hoefer & Arnett and FIG Partners. Since 2017, Mr. Raffo has been engaged with Kilowatt Labs, Inc.; with offices in New York and Dubai, Kilowatt Labs designs, manufactures and sells innovative energy storage and power management solutions for use in a wide variety of residential, commercial and industrial applications.

Kirk B. Stovesand headshot

Kirk B. Stovesand

Mr. Stovesand has been a member of the Board of Community West Bancshares (CWBC) and of CWB since May 2003. Mr. Stovesand serves as Chairman of CWBC's Audit Committee and CWB's Asset/Liability Committee. He is a partner of Walpole & Co., a Certified Public Accounting and Consulting firm founded in 1974. Mr. Stovesand received a Bachelors Degree in Business Economics from the University of California Santa Barbara, a Masters Degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University, and a Master Certificate in Global Business Management from George Washington University. He is also a Certified Financial Planner and has been on the boards of many profit and nonprofit organizations. Mr. Stovesand is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Celina L. Zacarias headshot

Celina L. Zacarias

Ms. Zacarias was appointed to the Board of Community West Bancshares (CWBC) and Community West Bank in December, 2021. She serves as Senior Director of Community & Government Relations at California State University Channel Islands and is responsible for advancing the university’s positive presence and goodwill at all levels throughout the culturally diverse service region, the state, the nation and internationally. She also serves as the Port of Hueneme Harbor Commissioner for the Oxnard Harbor District. Ms. Zacarias’ business experience includes careers at GMAC Mortgage, Wells Fargo and Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation. She is a graduate of University of California Santa Barbara with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Spanish literature and Hispanic civilization, and has studied abroad in Cuba, China, the Czech Republic, Hong Kong and England.