B2 Bank, N.A. today announced the appointment of three senior executives to lead the bank’s next phase of strategic growth.
B2 Bank is owned by Brian Barnes, CEO and founder of M1 Finance, an award-winning digital financial platform. This leadership announcement reflects a pivotal moment in the bank’s evolution as B2 Bank enters a new era in partnership with M1 Finance, expanding its reach from its community banking roots into a growing nationwide digital banking presence.
Ryan Jaskiewicz has been named Chief Executive Officer, Chris Cucci joins as Bank President, and Chris Van Buskirk has been appointed Chief Credit & Risk Officer. Together, the three executives bring nearly seven decades of combined experience across commercial banking, fintech, credit strategy, and financial platform development.
“B2 Bank is at a genuinely exciting inflection point,” said Ryan Jaskiewicz, CEO of B2 Bank. “We have the regulatory foundation, the infrastructure, and now the leadership team to build something significant — a bank that operates at the intersection of community banking’s trust and relationships with the speed and scale that modern financial technology enables. We’re not building incrementally; we’re building the model for what a next-generation community bank looks like.”
Chris Cucci, Bank President, commented: “B2 Bank represents a rare opportunity – a bank with a clear strategic vision, enterprise risk management built for scale, and the operational flexibility to move fast. I’ve built lending verticals from scratch at high-growth institutions, and I see an extraordinary runway here to build something differentiated and durable.”
“Credit is the foundation of any great bank, and B2 Bank has the right environment to build a credit culture that’s both disciplined and growth-oriented,” said Chris Van Buskirk, CCO.
Ryan Jaskiewicz brings nearly two decades of experience in commercial finance and executive leadership. He founded 12five Capital in 2006 at age 23, growing it from inception to more than $55 million in net funds employed before a successful exit in 2023. Most recently, he served as President of Structured Finance at Climate First Bank, where he was a key contributor to the bank’s growth from $725 million to more than $1.4 billion in assets.
Chris Cucci brings over two decades of diverse commercial banking experience spanning JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, SouthState Bank, and Climate First Bank. A CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member), he has built revenue-producing verticals from inception across commercial real estate, ESOP finance, and renewable energy project finance.
Chris Van Buskirk brings over 25 years of commercial banking experience ranging from Citigroup to Climate First Bank, where he served as Chief Credit Officer. He is a founding member of two banks that achieved highly successful acquisitions — Florida Choice Bank and First Green Bank.
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