President
Tom has led his bank advisory services practice since 2002 and has nearly 23 years of professional services experience assisting Financial Services companies large and small improve business practices, evaluate controls, audit and review their systems and processes, comply with laws and regulations, select and implement new applications/systems and develop business and technology plans.
In addition to being the lead advisor on nearly 100 banks, thrifts and credit unions since 2002, Mr. Grottke has been the lead audit and/or consulting partner or senior manager on numerous banks and thrifts in New England and New York State with his previous firms - KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP (1995 to 2002) and Arthur Andersen & Company (1985 to 1995).
Mr. Grottke specializes in providing consulting services to community and regional banks, but he developed unique personal expertise in strategy, merger integration, governance and organizational planning working with a number of multi-bank holding companies and financial services holding companies encompassing investment services, trust and insurance agencies in addition to the traditional bank departments and functions.
Key areas of personnel expertise and focus include: personal advisor to CEO, developing strategic and business plans, facilitating Board/management sessions, reengineering, development of technology plans, core banking system vendor selections, negotiating major vendor agreements and managing core system conversions and bank mergers.
His clients have included such global/national players as: Citibank Private Bank, Deutsche Bank Investment Services, State Street Bank and others, but substantially all his career has been on a more local and regional level with clients such as: Webster Bank, New Alliance Bank, and over 200 other community banks, thrifts and credit unions over the last two decades.
Mr. Grottke also has provided expert testimony on behalf of certain clients regarding bank operating practices and policies.
Tom is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. Mr. Grottke is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is a past chair of the CSCPA's Banking Committee. He has spoken on banking matters to chapters of Robert Morris Associates, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts Bankers Associations, Independent Bankers Association, American Community Bankers Association, American Bankers Association and at other industry seminars during his professional career. He has been a regular speaker for Lorman Educational Services, Texas Bankers Association and other training firms.
Mr. Grottke has been a guest lecturer at Bryant University, the University of Connecticut School of Business Administration, Southern Connecticut State University and Eastern Connecticut State University. Mr. Grottke is former Vice Chair of the Town of Wethersfield Economic Development Commission and is a former member of the Wethersfield Board of Education. Mr. Grottke is an Alumnus of the Sigma Chi Fraternity at the University of Connecticut.