First Foundation, a financial services company with two wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, First Foundation Advisors (FFA) and First Foundation Bank (FFB), appointed Dean R. Glassberg as executive vice president, chief credit officer of FFB, effective Oct. 14, 2025. In this role, Glassberg will lead FFB’s credit strategy, risk governance, underwriting standards, portfolio monitoring and credit operations, partnering closely with senior leadership to support disciplined growth.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dean to First Foundation,” Thomas C. Shafer, CEO of First Foundation, said. “His proven track record of transformation in credit operations, regulatory acumen and team leadership make him ideally suited to elevate our credit discipline as we grow. I look forward to working with him to support our clients while maintaining rigorous credit integrity.”
Glassberg said, “I’m honored to join First Foundation at such a pivotal moment. My focus will be building on the existing strengths, enhancing credit rigor and ensuring that our credit function enables growth with discipline. I look forward to working with the team to deliver for clients and stakeholders.”
Glassberg brings more than 25 years of commercial banking and credit leadership. He most recently served as executive vice president and executive credit officer at Veritex Community Bank in Dallas, where he led underwriting, credit compliance, process improvement and risk-rating initiatives, managing a team of 40 professionals. At Veritex, he played a key role in rewriting credit policy, launching a banking development program and accelerating underwriting speed by 40%.
Before that, Glassberg spent over two decades at First Midwest Bank (now Old National Bank) in roles including executive vice president and commercial banking chief administrative officer, director of middle market banking, and other senior leadership positions across credit, process optimization and integration. His accomplishments include leading branch mergers, enhancing underwriting efficiency, instituting expense savings and co-leading system integrations.
Glassberg holds an M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management (concentrations in strategy, organization and marketing) and a B.S. in accounting from DePaul University. He has been active in credit governance committees and regulatory examination forums throughout his career.
