With more than 35 years of banking experience, Hugh Allen leads U.S. commercial real estate operations at TD Bank as executive vice president, supporting developers and owners through market expertise and community development strategies. Under his leadership, TD launched a $20 billion Community Impact Plan in 2024 addressing residential mortgages, small business lending, community development and supplier diversity. Allen serves on the boards of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, National Urban League, National Equity Fund and Research Triangle Foundation and founded African American Real Estate Professionals in Washington, D.C. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today?

Commercial Real Estate continues to grapple with significant price pressures, which remain the industry’s most formidable challenge. Developers are contending with escalating costs that have reached unprecedented levels due to economic and geopolitical uncertainty, largely driven by surging fuel prices. Interest rate pressure and lack of institutional equity capital for new projects have been at the top of minds for many in the industry. Debt is easily accessible, but equity is not so much. As a result, both developers and financial institutions are faced with difficult decisions regarding optimal capital allocation. The sector is navigating a period of uncertainty, with companies actively reinvesting in their properties while striving to achieve the ideal balance within their commercial property portfolios.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I’ve ever received can be summed up in the saying “Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.” When you are doing business, it’s always best to remember everyone is in it to make money. If you make it too hard for the other side, via over-negotiation or by insisting on outsized economics vs. the rest of those involved, you will find yourself in the “life’s too short” category and become an unattractive business partner/participant. Finding the balance between what you need and what others need or expect is key to successful repeat business and reputation.

How do you define success?

Success can be defined by the lasting positive impact we create, both individually and as an organization. It’s not just about achieving business goals or financial results, but about leaving people better than when we first connected with them. At TD, we recognize that our true measure of success lies in the influence we have, whether it’s on our clients, our communities or our brand. This means seizing the opportunities present in our markets and ensuring that every interaction, every initiative and every decision leads to the best possible experience for those we serve. Ultimately, success is about making a meaningful difference and being remembered for the positive change we deliver. We play for the name on the front of our jersey, not on the back.

Kevin Benson brings nearly 30 years of experience in financial services to the table at Rosedale Bank. He oversees the bank’s strategic direction and serves on its board of directors. Benson joined Rosedale Bank in 2010 as chief lending officer, directing residential and commercial lending operations. Previously, he was a bank examiner with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and as a bank regulatory consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Baltimore. Benson serves on the Sheppard Pratt Board of Trustees, chairing its Finance Committee, and is vice chair of the Maryland Bankers Association Board of Directors.

What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today?

For a community bank of our size, the biggest challenge is sustaining profitability while funding the investments required to stay competitive, namely in generating deposit growth, investing in technology and keeping up with our risk-management responsibilities.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

I was told to lead for the long term, especially when short-term pressure is the loudest. This fits with leading a mutual bank, where our depositors own the institution, not shareholders. We take a long-term approach to our strategy and try to figure out ways to be impactful over a longer-term horizon vs. managing by quarterly earnings cycles.

How do you define success?

In my role as the president of Rosedale Bank, success is when our employees, customers and collective community benefit from our actions. It could be helping a customer with the purchase of their first home, helping a business with purchasing a building for expansion or volunteering in the community. Having a mission that is truly community-focused helps Rosedale Bank stay grounded in the important work that our employees do every day to help our clients.

With more than 30 years of banking experience, James Burke leads Shore Bancshares Inc. and Shore United Bank, N.A. as president and CEO, roles he assumed in July 2023, following the merger with The Community Financial Corporation, where he previously served as president and CEO.

Burke serves on the board of directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta and has held leadership roles in the region, including chairman of the board of University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center and chairman of the board of St. Mary’s Ryken High School. He is a trustee of Historic Sotterley. Burke holds a Bachelor of Arts from High Point University and is a graduate of the Maryland Bankers School and the East Carolina Advanced School of Commercial Lending.

In his role at M&T Bank, August Chiasera oversees its regional presidents and community financing business, encompassing low-income housing tax credits, renewable energy investments, Community Reinvestment Act activities and government relations. He also serves as president and chairman of The M&T Bank Foundation.

Chiasera joined M&T in 1993 through its Executive Associate program and relocated to Baltimore in 2002 following the bank’s acquisition of Allfirst Financial. He is board chair of the Baltimore Development Corporation and serves on the boards of the Greater Baltimore Committee, Neighborhood Impact Investment Fund, Maryland Economic Development Commission, Garrison Forest School, Roca Inc. and Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic. Chiasera holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Boston University.

What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today?

We’re operating in a time of rapid change — technological disruption, shifting demographics, evolving customer expectations — and our challenge is to meet those changes with agility and purpose. But one challenge stands out: economic equity. In places like Baltimore and across many of our markets, we have a responsibility to close gaps — in capital access, business formation and financial inclusion.

At M&T, we believe our job goes beyond banking — we’re here to be a catalyst. That means investing in underrepresented entrepreneurs, helping neighborhoods build wealth and serving as a convener of civic and private-sector efforts. When we do that well, we don’t just strengthen our business — we help communities thrive.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was from a mentor early in my career: “How you do anything is how you do everything.” In this industry, integrity, attention to detail and follow-through aren’t just professional assets — they’re the foundation of trust. The best finance professionals are those who bring the same level of care and excellence to every client, every decision and every challenge. If you approach your work with that mindset, you’ll build credibility, and you’ll earn opportunities that stretch far beyond the role you started in.

How do you define success?

Success is about creating lasting impact — for our clients, our communities and the people we lead. It’s not just measured by financial performance but by the trust we earn, the opportunities we help create and the long-term growth we enable.

At M&T, success means showing up consistently, doing the right thing and helping others move forward — whether that’s a business expanding, a family building financial security or a community gaining access to greater opportunity. When the people and places we serve are stronger because of our work, that’s success.

At Bank of America, Janet Currie serves as the region’s local enterprise leader, connecting business lines to deliver integrated financial services to individuals, families and companies while leading the bank’s environmental social governance efforts in the region. She joined Bank of America in 1993 and has held leadership roles in consumer mortgage, wealth management and consumer banking.

She serves on the boards of the Maryland Bankers Association, the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore, the Greater Baltimore Committee and Cherry Hill Strong, and co-chairs the Greater Baltimore Committee’s Baltimore Women’s Advisory Board.

What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today?

Cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence represent a defining opportunity for our industry. Clients increasingly expect access to intelligent tools that can help them make better financial decisions and unlock opportunities. At the same time, financial institutions have a responsibility to deploy these capabilities thoughtfully and at scale, with strong governance, cybersecurity and data privacy protections firmly in place. We continue to invest in proven AI solutions that enhance the client experience while maintaining the trust, security and resiliency that are fundamental to our role as a financial steward.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I’ve integrated into my career has been to always view challenges as opportunities for deeper learning and growth. It’s about embracing discomfort, not shying away from it. Early on, I learned that leadership isn’t just about finding solutions but about asking the right questions, being genuinely curious and understanding that every setback carries a lesson. This mindset fosters resilience and allows you to continuously evolve, which is critical in an industry like ours that demands constant adaptation and foresight.

How do you define success?

I define success not just by quarterly reports or individual achievements but by the tangible, sustainable impact we create for our clients, our employees and the greater Maryland community. For me, it’s about building enduring value, whether that’s empowering a small business to grow, helping a family achieve financial security or driving meaningful progress through our community initiatives. Success is seeing the positive ripple effect of our work and knowing that we’ve played a role in building a more prosperous future.

A native Baltimorean with 40 years of financial services experience, Joe Durham was named market president at Fulton Bank, overseeing a region spanning Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. He joined Fulton in 2014 and most recently served as regional commercial executive.

Durham earned a Bachelor of Science in finance and economics from Towson University. He has served on the board of Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake for 12 years, including the past five as chair, and was recently named to the board of the Greater Baltimore Committee.

With more than 20 years bridging public service and private-sector leadership, Tisha S. Edwards, Master of Social Work, Juris Doctor, became president and CEO of the Maryland Bankers Association in April 2025. In that role, she also serves as executive vice president of the Mid-Atlantic Bankers Association.

Edwards previously served as interim CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, chief of staff to the mayor of Baltimore, president of BridgeEdu and founding executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Children & Family Success. She also served as Maryland’s secretary of appointments. Edwards sits on the boards of United Way of Central Maryland and the University of Maryland, Baltimore Foundation.

With expertise spanning corporate, commercial, wealth, consumer and treasury management, Laura Gamble serves as regional president for Greater Maryland at PNC Bank. Gamble is also a PNC-certified women’s business advocate, one of 4,800 men and women across the organization specially trained to support women’s financial success.

She advises and mentors senior business leaders while prioritizing talent development, recruitment and retention within her team. Gamble has emphasized that strong communication and critical-thinking skills form the foundation for success in banking and finance, noting that the industry’s robust training programs make it an ideal environment for professional growth.

Joseph Haskins Jr. is chairman and CEO of The Harbor Bank of Maryland, which he cofounded in 1982. Haskins began his career in Chemical Bank’s management training program before advancing through roles at Wachovia Bank, Coppin State University and Wachovia Securities.

He serves on Maryland’s Cyber Security Council and the boards of Baltimore Gas and Electric and Security Title Company, and previously chaired the Maryland Commission of Business and Economic Development, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and Associated Black Charities. He holds an MBA from New York University and a Wharton banking certificate.

A career that bridges public infrastructure finance and private banking defines Erik Howard’s professional trajectory. He joined CFG Bank in 2004 and now serves as president and COO of Capital Funding Bancorp Inc. and president of CFG Bank, where he has guided the company’s expansion across long-term care, senior housing and multifamily sectors. With expertise in public and private debt, and equity offerings and merger and acquisition structures, Howard has been involved in financing more than $7 billion in healthcare and multifamily assets.

Before CFG, he held roles at New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation, an $8.6 billion statewide initiative, and Ferris, Baker Watts Inc., a Baltimore-based investment banking firm. Howard earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and international business from James Madison University.

T.J. Hughes serves as the senior leader for the Washington, D.C., and Maryland markets at Truist, directing and integrating client management and business development efforts with privately held companies in the commercial and middle market sectors, as well as nonprofit and governmental entities.

A 20-year commercial banking veteran, Hughes joined Truist in 2011 and has played a key role in driving growth for clients in multiple regions, including the mid-Atlantic, while expanding the company’s commercial efforts.

What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today?

The most significant challenge facing commercial banking today is helping clients navigate uncertainty while continuing to grow responsibly. In Maryland, that uncertainty shows up in very real ways — interest rate volatility, evolving regulatory expectations, shifting government spending and ongoing pressure on talent and margins, particularly for middle market and government adjacent businesses.

For banks, the challenge is balancing prudence with partnership. Clients don’t just need capital. They need perspective, speed and advice from people who understand their business and the local economy. Success in this environment requires banks to remain deeply relationship-oriented while continuing to invest in technology, risk management and specialized expertise to meet clients where they are and help them plan confidently for what’s next.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

It is simple but enduring: “When you invest in your people, success follows.”

Over the course of my career, I’ve seen that sustainable success is built by leaders who invest in developing talent, empowering teams and creating an environment where people are trusted to do their best work. When your people feel supported and accountable, and when they understand the mission, they show up for clients in meaningful ways. That is especially true in relationship-driven businesses like banking, where long-term trust matters more than short-term wins.

How do you define success?

I define success as creating lasting impact for clients, teammates and the communities we serve.

In Maryland, that means helping businesses grow, hire, invest and weather economic cycles; building strong teams who are engaged and developing professionally; and serving as a responsible partner in the local economy. Success isn’t just financial performance; it’s whether clients trust you, whether your people are proud to work with you and whether the community is stronger because of the work you do.

When those three align, results follow, and they tend to endure.

An entrepreneur who built a technology firm from a single employee to more than 2,000, Frank F. Islam founded the QSS Group in 1994 and grew it to approximately $300 million in revenue before selling it in 2007. He then established FI Investment Group, a private investment holding company. Islam holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in computer science from the University of Colorado.

Recognized as Maryland Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, he also received the 2015 Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award for International Service. A prolific civic voice, he serves on the Brookings Institution Council, the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts and advises multiple universities. Islam has authored two books and hosts “Washington Current Review” on MHz Networks.