About Hanover

With over 20 years of experience as a banking leader and entrepreneur, Mr. Wilcox is a strong believer in small businesses and the power of local entrepreneurs to drive economic development and growth. At Hanover, Mr. Wilcox is primarily responsible for deposit and asset growth, including oversight of the Bank’s SBA & USDA Banking, C&I Banking, Residential Banking, Commercial Real Estate Banking and Specialty Banking Teams, strategic partnerships, as well as deposit, loan and retail operations, loan servicing and marketing. Mr. Wilcox is actively involved in strategic planning, including new product development and pricing and identifying and executing new strategic opportunities, team development and risk management.

Prior to joining Hanover, Mr. Wilcox was President & CEO of Savoy Bank through its merger with Hanover in May 2021. At Savoy, Mr. Wilcox oversaw the bank's transition into a leading SBA lender and growth from roughly $80 million to nearly $700 million in assets through the origination of more than $1 billion in commercial loans across many industries, including technology, real estate, construction, hospitality, healthcare, apparel, contracting, retail, jewelry and manufacturing. Previously, Mr. Wilcox cofounded a community development bank to serve underbanked communities in the South Bronx and across New York City. Mr. Wilcox earned a BA from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from ASU, Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Mr. Burke brings to Hanover extensive accounting, operations, and M&A expertise with over 20 years of experience in the banking industry and the proven ability to streamline accounting efficiency and improve various processes within the Finance area. At Hanover, Mr. Burke is responsible for and oversees all aspects of financial management of the Company and the Bank, investor relations and facilities management. As CFO, Mr. Burke works closely with the CEO on merger and acquisition evaluation and capital raising initiatives.

Prior to joining Hanover in May 2021, Mr. Burke served as Senior Vice President & Controller of Dime Bank (formerly BNB Bank) and was an integral part of their three acquisitions and one merger of equals. During his 12-year tenure at BNB, Mr. Burke was at the forefront of the accounting department, responsible for all facets of Accounting operations, SEC and Regulatory Reporting, Corporate Insurance and Equity Plan Administration.

A graduate of SUNY Old Westbury with a bachelor’s degree in accounting he began his career in banking as a teller, moving quickly to the role of Assistant Vice President of Financial Reporting at New York Community Bank where he spent the first ten years of his career. Mr. Burke is a member of the Board of Directors for the YMCALI.

Mr. Burns is a 35-year veteran of the banking industry having served in leadership positions in commercial banking, commercial real estate, and investment banking capacities at various financial institutions including Chemical Bank, Key Corp., Merrill Lynch and The Marshall Group. Prior to joining Hanover Bank, he was employed by Valley Bank for over 15 years in several management capacities, last serving as a First Senior Vice President and Regional President of New York State Commercial Banking.

Mr. Burns joined Hanover Bank in November 2023. As Chief Lending Officer, Mr. Burns sets the strategic direction for the bank’s commercial banking operation, sets key initiatives, and works with a highly committed team of banking professionals to drive performance for its customers and shareholders.

Mr. Burns earned a B.B.A. in Management with a Finance Concentration from Adelphi University in Garden City, NY. He serves on the Board of Directors of New Ground, Inc., a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to break the cycle of homelessness for families and veterans in our communities on Long Island. Mr. Burns is a past Board Member of the Real Estate Practitioners Institute, Robert Morris Associates, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Youth Organization, and Malverne Little League.

Joseph and his wife are life-long Long Island residents. They have been married for 32 years and are the proud parents of three adult children.

Mr. Corbett has over 40 years of experience in the banking industry and has extensive expertise in all facets of credit risk and portfolio management as well as new product development. At Hanover, Mr. Corbett is responsible for management of the Bank’s Credit Administration Department, including the underwriting and loan review analysis process, and all functions providing lending support, direction, credit information, and loan policies, procedures and processes to ensure the overall quality of the Bank’s lending portfolio and adherence to the Bank’s Credit Policy. Mr. Corbett also oversees Loan Servicing, Loan Administration and Credit Risk Management.

Prior to joining Hanover, Mr. Corbett served as Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of Dime Community Bank and Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of Astoria Bank where he had the responsibility for the credit quality of commercial and residential portfolios in excess of $15 billion. Prior to Astoria Bank, Mr. Corbett served as Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Risk Officer of Israel Discount Bank of New York, overseeing a commercial portfolio in excess of $7 billion. Mr. Corbett is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.

Ms. DiIorio has over 25 years of experience in the banking industry and oversees the operations and administrative functions of the Finance Division including accounting, financial reporting, policy development and internal controls. Ms. DiIorio serves as liaison for the Company’s external auditors and is also the Assistant Secretary of the Bank’s holding company since its inception in 2016.

Prior to joining Hanover in 2016, Ms. DiIorio served as Vice President and Principal Accounting Officer at Bridgehampton National Bank. She has also served as Controller for a number of banking institutions including The First National Bank of Long Island, Madison National Bank and New York Community Bank. Ms. DiIorio was a senior accountant in the Financial Services Group of the public accounting firm of KPMG LLP where she specialized in audits of public financial institutions, brokers and dealers of securities, credit unions and various commercial entities. Ms. DiIorio earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from the Frank G. Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University and an MBA in Finance from Dowling College. Ms. DiIorio is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Ms. Gray has over 25 years of experience in the banking industry and oversees the SBA & USDA Banking Division. Prior to joining Hanover in 2021, Ms. Gray served as SVP of Government Guaranteed Lending at Savoy Bank. She also served as Co-Founder, Chief Operations Officer & Chief Financial Officer at MileStone Bank and held other C-Level positions at various financial institutions.

Ms. Gray earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from Northeastern University and an MBA in Business Administration from New England College of Business.

Ms. Kotliar has over 25 years of Human Resources experience within the banking industry, with a strong focus on organizational culture, strategic planning, and driving operational efficiency. At Hanover Bank, she oversees all aspects of Human Resources and collaborates closely with senior leadership to implement bank-wide initiatives that enhance the employee experience.

Before joining Hanover Bank, Ms. Kotliar served as the HR Business Partner to the President at Sterling National Bank, where she was responsible for up to 400 employees within a 2,100-employee organization. Prior to that, she was the Manager of Recruiting & Employee Relations at Astoria Bank, supporting over 1,100 employees.

Ms. Kotliar holds a Master of Science in Banking from Mercy University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from SUNY Cortland. She began her career in banking in the Residential Mortgage Department, specializing in Secondary Marketing at Interbank of New York. An active member of the professional community, Ms. Kotliar is affiliated with SHRM – Long Island Chapter, the Women’s Networking Group, and Disrupt HR of Long Island. She also dedicates time to her local community as Treasurer of her church’s CYO Program and leads the church’s Summer Adult Volleyball Program.

Mr. Locorriere has extensive municipal expertise with more than 30 years of banking and government experience. At Hanover, Mr. Locorriere is responsible for all municipal depository activities including developing, maintaining and administering municipal programs that contribute to the effective and profitable operation of the Bank. He currently manages a municipal portfolio that consists of balances in excess of $750 million. He also oversees deposit and retail operations as well as the treasury management functions for the Bank.

Prior to joining Hanover, Mr. Locorriere served as Executive Vice President & Director of Municipal Banking at Empire National Bank. He also served in various government positions including Comptroller for the Town of North Hempstead as well as being elected to the Suffolk County Legislature representing the northeast communities of Brookhaven Town. Mr. Locorriere is a member of the following associations: New York State Bankers Association Municipal Finance Committee; Long Island Regional Council Member of Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA); Suffolk and Nassau Association of School of Business Officials; and the Long Island Village Clerks Treasurers Association. Mr. Locorriere earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Mansfield University and a MBA from Dowling College.

Ms. Mihas possesses over 20 years banking experience in various capacities including corporate governance. Ms. Mihas has been part of the Hanover team since its inception in 2009 and is also the Secretary of its holding company since its inception in 2016. Ms. Mihas currently serves as Corporate Secretary where she works with the Directors, Executive Management and Senior Officers. Ms. Mihas coordinates and attends all Hanover Community Bank and Hanover Bancorp Board meetings, prepares the minutes to the Board meetings, facilitates the annual meeting of shareholders, serves as liaison for Directors and Shareholders, maintains key corporate documents and records, and addresses other tasks as required by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Ms. Mihas earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queens College and a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University.

Raffaella Palazzo has over 25 years of community banking experience primarily on Long Island. As Chief Operations Officer, Ms. Palazzo oversees the day-to-day deposit and loan operation functions of the bank as well as the retail branch network. During her tenure at Hanover, she held other positions in Credit Risk Management and Commercial Banking.

Prior to joining Hanover, Ms. Palazzo was part of the senior management team at Empire National Bank where she held the title of Co-Chief Credit Officer until the bank was sold in 2020. She began her career at State Bank of Long Island in their formal credit training program where she held several commercial lending positions including underwriter and commercial lending officer. She earned her Business Administration degree from Long Island University – CW Post.

Mr. Sanchez is a highly accomplished technology executive with a career spanning over 25 years, renowned for his track record in driving digital transformations, aligning visionary technology goals with overarching business objectives, and achieving key successes in the process. Mr. Sanchez plays a pivotal role in shaping the bank's technology vision, aligning it with business objectives, and ensuring the security and compliance of all technology systems. Notable achievements include spearheading a comprehensive digital strategy, implementing an innovative online account opening platform, transitioning to Microsoft Azure cloud, and modernizing branch locations. Ray's dedication to digital transformation and innovation has positioned the bank for ongoing growth and success.

Prior to joining Hanover, Mr. Sanchez served as Senior Vice President at Dime Community Bank (formerly BNB Bank), where he played a pivotal role in orchestrating the merger of BNB Bank and Dime Community Bank, emphasizing a user-friendly, customer-centric approach. His profound understanding of the financial industry's technological landscape consistently drove growth and success. Mr. Sanchez adeptly navigated complex challenges, including the transition to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. His leadership in implementing cybersecurity policies, change management processes, and cost-saving transitions to cloud providers underscored his commitment to operational excellence.

John Vivona has nearly 35 years of experience as a senior risk professional within the banking industry. At Hanover Bank, Mr. Vivona is responsible for administering the Bank’s Enterprise Risk Management Program to align with applicable regulatory expectations given the Bank’s size, complexity, and strategic objectives. Mr. Vivona is responsible for overseeing the Independent Risk Management, Regulatory Compliance, Bank Secrecy Act/ Anti-Money Laundering, Information Security, and Internal Audit functions of the Bank. Mr. Vivona’s teams provide governance and oversight for managing risks within the Bank and facilitating compliance with banking laws and regulations.

Prior to Hanover Bank, he held similar Chief Risk Officer roles at both BNB Bank and Alma Bank as well as executive level positions within the compliance functions at Newtek Bank, N.A., New York Community Bancorp, and The First National Bank of Long Island. Mr. Vivona began his career at Reliance Federal Savings Bank in Garden City, NY in its Internal Audit department. Mr. Vivona holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. John’s University in Jamaica, New York.