Senior Management Team

Kathryn Underwood joined Ledyard National Bank in 2005 as the President and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining Ledyard, she spent her entire professional career with the KeyBank organization in Maine. She began her career in lending then spent the next twelve years in wealth management and was responsible for managing the function for the state of Maine. During her last five years at KeyBank, Kathy served as their District President with the responsibility of managing all retail and business banking in the state. KeyBank is a $2.5 billion operation in Maine with 64 branches.

Kathy currently serves as treasurer and executive committee member of the Independent Community Bankers of America and also serves on the board of ICBA Securities. She is a member of the Upper Valley Corporate Council and serves on the American Heart Association Founders Affiliate Board, representing the Northeast region and the New Hampshire AHA Board. She has also served as the chairperson for Upper Valley Go Red For Women. Kathy is a director of the New Hampshire Bankers Association and a corporation member for the Montshire Museum of Science. She is a former board member and past president of the New Hampshire Bankers Association, past advisory board member for the Consumer Financial Protection Community Bank Council in Washington, D.C., and served a six-year term on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston where she also served as the chairperson of their Audit Committee. She is a past board member of Kendal at Hanover, where she served for nine years, also chairing the Strategic Planning Committee. Kathy has an economics degree from the University of Southern Maine and is a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP).

With over twenty years of leadership experience in the financial services industry, Josephine Moran has substantial expertise in community banking, investment services, residential and consumer lending, business banking, small business and customer experience. She has a proven track record of developing and leading high-performing teams with the ability to initiate change, influence outcomes, and develop and execute strategic plans.

Prior to joining Ledyard, she was the Executive Vice President, Chief Corporate Services and Consumer Lending Officer at Provident Bank. She also served as the Executive Vice President and Director of Retail Banking at Provident Bank, Senior Vice President, Regional Manager, Retirement Services Director with Webster Bank, and Executive Vice President, Director of Retail Banking with Columbia Bank, as well as other senior leadership positions with Santander Bank, Wells Fargo Company, and Wachovia Bank.

She is a member of the Board of Governors at her alma mater University of New Haven and also serves as Chairperson for the Pompea College of Business Advisory Board. She is proud to be the founder and chair of the University’s Women’s Leadership Council, which focuses on providing mentorship, networking and growth opportunities for the university’s female students.

Josephine was named one of Industry Era’s “Top Ten Women Leaders in 2020”. She has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, Independent Banker Magazine, Mid-Atlantic Banking, and in Thrive Global’s “Meet the Female Leaders of Finance” Series.

Moran holds an Executive MBA from the University of New Haven as well as an M.S. in Finance and Financial Services. She attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York where she received her B.S. in Marketing and Management. In addition, she holds Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Greg Steverson has over 20 years of experience in financial service businesses. Greg is a Certified Public Accountant and has worked in public accounting and banking his entire career. While working in public accounting, he performed audits and consulted for businesses in banking, venture capital, broker dealer, mutual fund and mortgage banking. He began his career at Coopers & Lybrand, an international accounting firm.

Greg’s professional affiliations include membership in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, as well as serving on the Financial Managers Society Financial Institutions Accounting Committee. Greg holds a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University at Long Beach.

Peter Sprudzs is a seasoned banking professional with deep experience in all facets of bank finance and risk management. With a focus on driving growth while prudently managing risk, Peter’s career includes leadership positions at both public and private companies, at specialty as well as mainstream lenders, and in various regulatory regimes. He has worked with balance sheets ranging in size from under $100 million to nearly $2 trillion.

By combining an analytic and data-driven orientation with a collaborative and inclusive leadership style, Peter’s teams have developed powerful growth and risk management strategies, including some that earned multiple Alexander Hamilton Awards from the professional association Treasury and Risk.

Prior to joining Ledyard National Bank, Peter was CFO at BMG Money, and held Senior Vice President positions at Credit One Bank and Flagstar Bank.

Peter holds an MBA in Finance from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, an MBA in Finance from l’Universite Catholique de Louvain in Belgium, and a BA in Statistics from The University of Chicago. Peter also earned the Financial Risk Management certification from the Global Association of Risk Professionals and has previously held Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Michael Hakoun is the Executive Vice President & Managing Director of Ledyard Financial Advisors, with nearly two decades of experience in the investment management and banking industry. Michael’s extensive wealth management and retail banking experience perfectly complements Ledyard’s strategic goals and passion for developing long-term client relationships.

Prior to joining Ledyard, Michael led a five-state team located in New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island supporting 230 branches for TD Bank. The comprehensive team included Wealth Strategists, Investment Advisors, Trust Advisors, Wealth Lending Specialists, Private Client Relationship Managers and Client Services. Prior to leading that team, Michael worked in Canada where he led a Call Center for TD Ameritrade in London, Ontario.  He also worked in Toronto, Ontario, leading the Customer & Employee Experience Strategy groups across the North American Call Centers, which included Wealth Direct Investing & the Wealth Advice Center. Additionally, Michael has Retail Banking experience with TD, as a prior Retail Regional Manager in the Greater Concord - Lakes area of NH. Prior to joining TD, he worked with Citibank & Guardian Life Insurance.

Michael graduated from McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business in Ontario, Canada with a Master of Business Administration. Michael has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics from the State University of New York at Oneonta and also holds FINRA Series 7, 63, 65, 24 licenses. He serves on the board of Mt. Zion Christian Schools, coaches recreational softball teams for his daughters, and teaches students at his local church.

Catherine has over 30 years of Human Resources leadership experience in hospitality, printing and publishing and healthcare industries.

Prior to joining Ledyard, she was most recently the Program Director of Community Health and Employee Wellness with New London Hospital, D-HH. She also served as the VP, Human Resources at The Elliot Hospital, and the VP, Human Resources at New London Hospital. She is an adjunct professor with Granite State College in the Health and Wellness department.

Catherine serves as the chair of the NH Governor’s Council on Physical Activity and Health. She is proud to be the Program Coordinator for VT/NH Casting for Recovery Chapter, which focuses on retreats for women in all stages of breast cancer treatment and recovery. She is also a Steering Committee member of the D-HH Partners for Community Wellness and on the President’s Advisory Council with River Valley Community College.

Catherine holds a M.S. in Human Resources as well as a B.S. in Human Behavior from Rivier University. She attended Daytona State College where she received her A.S in Hospitality Management.

Katie Blake joined Ledyard National Bank in February of 2016 as the New London branch Manager. In June of 2020, Katie was promoted to Vice President, Regional Retail Manager, responsible for managing the overall performance of Ledyard’s Retail branches, while continuing to directly manage the New London location.

Katie has more than 25 years of customer service experience and has been in banking since 2012. Prior to joining Ledyard, Katie held supervisory roles at People’s United Bank and Citizens Bank. Katie is a very active member of the New London community where she currently sits as Vice President of the Lake Sunapee Region Chamber of Commerce Board.

Bliss joined Ledyard in March 2017 as Senior Vice President and Compliance Officer. He is also the BSA Officer, CRA Officer, Privacy Officer, and Security Officer. He is responsible for managing the risks associated with Compliance, BSA, CRA, Privacy and Security; and assuring Ledyard clients have sufficient information to make informed decisions about the costs and benefits of bank products and services.

Prior to joining Ledyard, Bliss spent more than three decades at Lake Sunapee Bank where he was the Chief Compliance Officer and a member of the Senior Management Team. During his time at Lake Sunapee Bank, he held a variety of positions including Branch Manager, Consumer and Mortgage Lending, and Loan Review Officer. He also served as the CRA Officer and facilitated audits and examinations. He became a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager in 2010.

Bliss is a graduate of Clarkson University where he earned a BS in Marketing & Finance. He received his MBA from the Whittemore School of Business & Economics at the University of New Hampshire.

Susan Fernald joined Ledyard National Bank in August of 2018 as the Senior Vice President Bank Operations. In her role as Chief Banking Officer, she continues to oversee the operations department including online banking, and is responsible for oversight of Operations, Compliance, Information Technology, Security and Vendor Management. She will also serve on the Executive Committee.

As head of operations for Ledyard, Susan led the bank through the system conversion in 2019, along with playing a pivotal role in many technology initiatives. Prior to joining our team, Susan spent 2 years with Bar Harbor Bank and Trust which was a result of the merger with Lake Sunapee Bank which she spent most of her career of 31 years. She began as a customer service representative, she grew within the company and was the Vice President Operations Manager for the last 7 years, she was pivotal in the 7 acquisitions and completed 2 system conversions while with Lake Sunapee Bank. Susan is a graduate of New England School of Financial Studies, Northern New England School of Banking and she is a Certified IRA Service Professional with the American Bankers Association. She has been a member and chair of the Vermont Bankers Association Operations Committee.

She currently resides in Sunapee, NH with her husband and is a proud grandmother of 7 beautiful grandchildren.

William E. Kidder, Jr. joined Ledyard National Bank in March 2015 as Senior Vice President and Senior Commercial Lender, responsible for Ledyard’s commercial banking, and was promoted to Senior Lending Officer joining Ledyard's Senior Management Team in June of 2016.

Prior to joining our team Bill spent six years at Merchants Bank as a Regional Manager and Vice President in the corporate banking department working out of Wilder, VT. In addition, Bill worked for three years at Citizens Bank, N.A. as a Vice President in commercial banking. He also worked in commercial banking for eighteen years at TD Bank, N.A., including its predecessors Banknorth and First Vermont Bank, most recently as a Vice President and commercial lender.

Bill graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science.

Scott Laughinghouse joined Ledyard Bank as Senior Vice President and Market Executive responsible for growing Ledyard’s loan, deposit and investment portfolio in the Concord region. Scott brings over 30 years of broad-based banking experience to Ledyard, including 20 years in the Capital Region and central and southern New Hampshire.

Prior to his return to New Hampshire, Scott served as Chief Lending Officer at two community banks operating in and around New York City. He also held a variety of senior leadership positions with the former Lake Sunapee Bank and the Savings Bank of Walpole in Keene. His formal training and initial experience in the business began with Fleet Bank in Rhode Island where he became a Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer.

Scott graduated from Middlebury College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and spent six years coaching college football and baseball before embarking on his successful banking career. He sat on the West Central Behavioral Health Board for seven years, during which time he was Finance Committee Chair; was a founding Board Member of Vital Communities and has been a member of Rotary International for seventeen years. He lives in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Jeff Marks began his career in Financial Services with American Express Co. in 1997, where he focused on customer acquisition and loyalty marketing. He was responsible for launching several of their premier internet-based programs that received praise in multiple publications, including The Wall Street Journal. Prior to American Express, Jeff worked in Retail as a Buyer for Saks Fifth Avenue.

Jeff’s areas of expertise include digital marketing, direct mail marketing, internet campaign promotion, sponsorship & event marketing, and client experience program development.

Jeff is a graduate of Cornell University where he earned a BA in Economics. He received his MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, with an emphasis on marketing and management & strategy.

Michael Parisi is a member of the Senior Management Team as Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. As such, he oversees the Financial Center Banking, Cash Management, and Data Analytics Teams and also serves as a member of the bank's Executive Committee. He previously held the position of Director of Sales and Product Development at Ledyard. Michael comes to Ledyard from Citizens Bank, where he was employed for 10 years. At Citizens Bank, he first held the position as a Branch Manager then promoted to Regional Manager, and Market Administration Manager. Michael has a BS in Accounting from University of Massachusetts and an MBA from Fitchburg State University.

Michael Urnezis joined Ledyard in August of 2017 relocating from Rockford, Illinois and bringing with him over two decades of financial services experience.

Prior to joining Ledyard, Mike co-founded Vision Mortgage & Insurance Group in 1999 with offices in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest which he managed until 2012 when Northwest Bank acquired the Group. Northwest Bank retained Mike as Vice President of Mortgage Banking and Business Development. Mike moved to Alpine Bank and Trust Company in 2014 as Vice President, Regional Mortgage Lending. At Alpine he developed and implemented a new wholesale mortgage banking channel designed for community banks in the Midwest.

Mike received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Illinois State University and has served on several nonprofit boards including the Rock River Chapter of the American Red Cross and The Parks Kiwanis. Currently, Mike is a member of the Hanover Rotary, the NH & VT Mortgage Banking Committees, and is enrolled in the 2019 class of Leadership Upper Valley through Vital Communities.