Bankwell Hires Chief Innovation Officer

Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: BWFG), parent company of Bankwell Bank, today announced that Ryan J. Hildebrand has been appointed Executive Vice President in the newly created role of Chief Innovation Officer at Bankwell. Mr. Hildebrand will join Bankwell's Executive Team and report to Christopher R. Gruseke, President and CEO of Bankwell. Mr. Hildebrand will oversee growth strategies through innovation and technology.

Mr. Hildebrand recently served as the Strategic Innovation Officer at Lincoln Savings Bank. He also served as the President of the Bank’s financial technology subsidiary, LSBX, which experienced significant deposit and revenue growth under his leadership.

Prior to this role, Mr. Hildebrand held the position of Head of Fintech Banking at Cross River Bank. During his tenure, the Bank established numerous new partnerships. He also co-founded Seed, the pioneering business neobank, which he later sold to Cross River. Before that, Mr. Hildebrand was Head of Finance and Strategy at Simple, where he played a crucial role in the sale of Simple to BBVA.

Mr. Gruseke stated, "We are thrilled to welcome Ryan to the team. The establishment of this new role is an important step in our strategy. We continue to execute our strategic plan to establish Bankwell as a relationship-driven, high-performing, commercially focused bank, as we generated record financial performance last year. The proliferation of new financial technologies and potential use cases for the banking industry will enhance our capabilities further. Ryan brings deep experience and skills to help drive Bankwell’s growth and profitability.”

"I was inspired to join Bankwell's accomplished and entrepreneurial team. The Board of Directors and the Bank’s executive leadership are committed to continue the implementation of innovative technologies in the fintech ecosystem as part of the Bank’s growth strategy. I am thrilled to contribute to the ongoing success of the Bank," Mr. Hildebrand said.

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