Addison-based Liberty Capital Bank has promoted Ryan Friend to president. Friend, who presently serves as senior vice president, will be promoted to president effective June 1. He assumes the responsibilities from his mentor, Robin Wantland, who is retiring following a successful 42-year career in banking, 10 of them with Liberty Capital Bank.
“I consider it a privilege to be mentored by Robin and learn from him over the past several years,” Friend says. “We have an incredible team and wonderful customers, who I’m thrilled to continue supporting as we work to make a difference in our community. The bank’s foundation is strong and I look forward to working alongside Alan Morris [CEO] and Amy Pickard [CFO] to keep the momentum going.”
Wantland joined Liberty Capital Bank in 2011 with the goal of building a servant leadership culture and high-performance environment. He will continue serving in a consultative role on the bank’s board of directors.
“I couldn’t be more pleased to hand my baton off to Ryan as he joins Alan and Amy in taking our bank to the next level,” Wantland says. “One of the things I have really enjoyed about banking has been the opportunity to mentor young bankers. I’ve been mentoring Ryan for the past seven years and this transition is the culmination of our hard work together. It’s also been a privilege to work alongside my longtime friend Ben Cunningham and it is with great satisfaction that we have orchestrated a smooth transition of the bank to its next generation of leaders.”
“Robin has been a great asset to the bank,” says Holt Lunsford, chairman and co-founder. “His ability to recruit and grow young bankers is the reason Ryan and others have joined our franchise. He has built a great culture with Ben Cunningham, one we will enjoy for years to come. We are excited to see Ryan in an expanded role, one he deserves. He and Alan Morris are the future of Liberty Capital Bank.”
Established in 2008, Liberty Capital Bank is a local, privately held bank founded by Holt Lunsford and Ben Cunningham. The bank serves privately held businesses, real estate investors and high-net-worth individuals and families.
