Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> May 22, 2000
ROBERT P. KELLER is the President and Chief Executive Officer of
Eldorado Bancshares, Inc., a bank holding company for Eldorado Bank and
Antelope Valley Bank, and is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
for Eldorado Bank, headquartered in Tustin, California and Antelope
Valley Bank, headquartered in Lancaster, California. Mr. Keller has more
than 30 years of experience in public accounting and bank management and
has served in a senior management position for over 20 years. In
addition, he has served as a consultant for banks providing strategic
planning advice and on various Boards of Directors for companies in
health care, financial services, public utilities and manufacturing.
From 1994 to 1995 Mr. Keller was Chief Executive Officer of Independent
Bancorp of Arizona, Inc., a publicly traded bank holding company, and
its subsidiary Caliber Bank, located in Phoenix. In 1994 under his
leadership Caliber Bank was returned to profitability, and in early
1995, Independent Bancorp of Arizona, with assets exceeding $1.8
billion, was sold at a premium to Norwest Corporation. In 1991 Mr.
Keller led an investor group that acquired from the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation three failed banks having assets over $2 billion,
thereby creating New Dartmouth Bank. He served as New Dartmouth Bank's
Chief Executive Officer until the bank was sold in 1994 to Shawmut
National Corporation for a gain of over 350% to shareholders. During his
tenure the bank became the number two overall lender in New Hampshire,
acquired a fourth bank, consolidated all operations, and reported income
in excess of $19 million in its first full year of operation. Mr. Keller
served as Chief Operating Officer of American Federal Bank (AFB) in
Texas during 1988 and 1989 with assets of $3.5 billion. AFB was a
combination of 12 savings and loan associations and five mortgage
companies. Under his leadership the bank consolidated 42 branches,
redesigned its products and services, consolidated its operations, and
was returned to profitability within a few months. Subsequently AFB was
sold for a substantial premium to its shareholders. From 1974 to 1987
Mr. Keller served as Chief Financial/Administrative Officer of Indian
Head Banks (currently known as Fleet Bank NH) located in New Hampshire.
His responsibilities included, among other things, strategic planning,
overseeing numerous mergers and acquisitions, marketing, shareholder and
regulatory relations, and human resources. In addition, while serving as
Chief Financial/Administrative Officer of Indian Head Banks, he had
significant management responsibilities for several subsidiary
companies. Mr. Keller currently serves on the Board of Directors of
Pennichuck Corporation, a public utility holding company in Nashua, New
Hampshire. Profile
Bancshares: the company's history, products, services, customers, those
kinds of things.
Mr. Keller: Eldorado Bancshares
