Management

James A. Dowd, CPA presently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank. Mr. Dowd joined Pathfinder Bank in 1994, as Controller and has since held many prominent roles within the organization. In 1999, he was promoted to Chief Financial Officer followed by his additional appointment as Chief Operating Officer in 2017. Most recently, Mr. Dowd held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer until his appointment to Chief Executive Officer in 2022. He has played a significant role in the physical expansion of the Bank into Onondaga County, overall deposit growth, and the Bank’s increased brand recognition and enhanced reputation in its new markets. Mr. Dowd currently serves as a member of the Board of the Oswego County Land Bank and the Oswego Renaissance Association and serves as Vice President of the Board for Riverside Cemetery. In addition, Mr. Dowd spent 13 years in a leadership role with Oswego Harbor Festivals, Inc., including two years as the Festival’s president. Mr. Dowd's thirty years of industry knowledge, coupled with his experience in the finance and operations side of banking, makes him a valuable asset to the Board.

Justin K. Bigham, CPA joined Pathfinder Bank in 2024 and currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Pathfinder Bancorp, with more than 25 years of experience in the financial industry. Before joining Pathfinder Bank, Mr. Bigham held several key leadership positions at various large public companies, most recently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Community Banking Officer at Five Star Bank. In his role at Pathfinder Bancorp, Mr. Bigham oversees the treasury, finance, accounting, human resources, and project management functions of the Company.

Robert G. Butkowski has been employed by the Bank since 2010 and was appointed to the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 2024. Mr. Butkowski is responsible for the daily operations of our branch network, which includes branch administration and business services. Prior to this appointment, he served as First Vice President, Branch Administration. 

Joseph P. McManus serves as the Chief Information Officer at Pathfinder Bank, where he has been instrumental in advancing technology and information systems since joining in 2008. Before his current role, he served as First Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. Prior to his time at Pathfinder Bank, McManus worked as Senior Network Technician at Oswego County National Bank and Senior Information Systems Architect at PCC Information Services. Mr. McManus is responsible for electronic delivery channels, information security and technology platforms.

William D. O’Brien has been employed by the Bank since 1999. During his tenure, Mr. O’Brien has held various positions in the Bank including branch manager and commercial lender. Mr. O’Brien served as First Vice President of Credit Administration and was appointed Senior Vice President Chief Risk Officer of the Company and the Bank and the Company's Corporate Secretary in January 2020. Mr. O’Brien is responsible for overseeing the Enterprise Risk Management program, as well as Compliance, BSA/AML, Physical Security and Fraud and Information Security functions.

Joseph F. Serbun was appointed to Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer in 2024. Mr. Serbun joined Pathfinder Bank in 2023 as Special Assets Manager, bringing with him over 40 years of banking experience. Before retiring in September 2022 as President of Retail Banking at Community Bank, he held several key senior management positions, including Chief Credit Officer, Chief Banking Officer, and President of Retail Banking. His deep understanding of our markets and extensive expertise make him a valuable addition to the team.

Ronald G. Tascarella has been employed by the Bank since 2016 and was recently appointed to the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Lending Officer. Mr. Tascarella is responsible for the commercial lending, business banking, and residential lending activities of the Bank. Before this appointment, he served as Lending Sales Manager and Commercial Team Leader. Prior to joining Pathfinder Bank, he was Vice President and Relationship Manager at M&T Bank. Mr. Tascarella serves as a member on the board directors of Operation Oswego County, Inc. and Treasurer of Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY.