F. T. “Tommy” Elliott, IV
About F. T. “Tommy” Elliott, IV
Independent director of Community West Bancshares (CWBC); age 48; on the board since 2013 via the acquisition of Visalia Community Bank where he served as Chairman. Owner and Chairman of Wileman Bros. & Elliott, Inc. (California fresh citrus) and Kaweah Container, Inc. (corrugated manufacturer). Recognized for strong business acumen, banking experience, and deep knowledge of CWBC’s geographic markets and client base .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visalia Community Bank | Chairman of the Board (pre-merger) | Pre-2013 (exact dates not disclosed) | Led board; CWBC notes his banking experience and market knowledge as qualifications |
| Community West Bancshares | Director | 2013–present (12 years as of 2025) | Independent director; contributions cited in board skills/qualifications matrix |
| Wileman Bros. & Elliott, Inc. | Owner & Chairman | Not disclosed | Sector leadership in agriculture; business acumen relevant to CWBC markets |
| Kaweah Container, Inc. | Owner & Chairman | Not disclosed | Manufacturing/packaging domain expertise; operating leadership |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Tulare County | Former Director | Not disclosed | Community engagement |
External Roles
| Organization | Type | Role | Public Company? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wileman Bros. & Elliott, Inc. | Private company | Owner & Chairman | No | Grower, packer, shipper of California citrus |
| Kaweah Container, Inc. | Private company | Owner & Chairman | No | Independent corrugated manufacturer |
| Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) | Professional network | Member | N/A | Executive network participation |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Tulare County | Non-profit | Former Director | N/A | Community involvement |
| Other public company boards | — | — | — | None disclosed |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Determined independent under Nasdaq standards |
| Board committees | Compensation Committee member; Strategic Planning Committee member |
| Committee chair roles | None disclosed for Elliott (Compensation Chair is Bartlein; Nomination Chair is Smittcamp; Audit Chair is McDonald) |
| Executive Committee | Not a member (Executive Committee: Doyle (Chair), Bartlein, Lokey, Majarian, McDonald; Kim and Plourd as advisors) |
| Board meetings | 10 meetings in FY2024 |
| Attendance | Each incumbent director attended at least 75% of aggregate board and committee meetings; all 15 directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting |
| Stock ownership policy | Minimum 2,000 shares separate from grants; all directors and NEOs in compliance as of 12/31/2024 |
| Anti-hedging/pledging | Company maintains anti-hedging and anti-pledging policies |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non-employee director) | $34,800 | Standard for all non-employee directors |
| Chairman/Vice Chairman annual fee | Chairman $44,400; Vice Chairman $44,400 | Not applicable to Elliott |
| Committee chair meeting fee | $200 per meeting chaired | Elliott not disclosed as chair |
| Elliott’s cash fees in 2024 | $35,800 | Reflects actual fees paid; members do not receive meeting attendance fees |
Performance Compensation
| Award | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Fair Value | Vesting | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Stock (annual director grant) | 2024-05-30 | 1,820 | $30,000 | One-year vest from grant date | None disclosed; director equity grants are time-based |
The 2025 Omnibus Incentive Plan permits performance-based awards, RSUs, options, SARs, and other stock-based awards; however, the disclosed director grants for 2024 are time-based restricted stock with no specified performance conditions .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed |
| Shared directorships with competitors/suppliers/customers | None disclosed |
| Related-party transactions >$120,000 | None since Jan 1, 2024 |
| Loans to related parties (directors/executives) | Occur in normal course on market terms; exempt under Sarbanes-Oxley loan prohibitions |
Expertise & Qualifications
- CWBC cites Elliott’s strong business acumen, banking experience (Chairman, Visalia Community Bank), and deep knowledge of CWBC’s geographic markets and client base .
- Board skills matrix indicates broad board-level competencies across the director group; Elliott is listed among directors with public company board experience and strategic planning/oversight capabilities (matrix categories shown for the board as a whole) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| F. T. “Tommy” Elliott, IV (beneficial) | 88,475 | <1% | Includes 1,820 unvested restricted shares with voting rights |
| Daughter (owned of record) | 9,210 | — | Included in beneficial total |
| Under POA from F.T. Elliott, III | 10,000 | — | Elliott disclaims beneficial ownership |
| Unvested restricted (voting rights) | 1,820 | — | Granted 2024-05-30; one-year vest |
| Shares outstanding (record date) | 19,061,009 | — | For % context |
| Ownership guideline compliance | Yes (all directors/NEOs compliant as of 12/31/2024) | ||
| Pledged/hedged shares | None disclosed; anti-hedging/pledging policies in place |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and Committees: Elliott is an independent director serving on the Compensation and Strategic Planning Committees—positions central to pay governance and long-term strategy oversight .
- Attendance and Engagement: Board met 10 times in 2024; all incumbent directors met the ≥75% attendance threshold; full-board presence at the 2024 Annual Meeting points to engagement .
- Pay Practices: Director pay is modest and standard (cash retainer, no meeting fees for attendance) with a small, time-based equity grant (1,820 RS shares, one-year vest), reinforcing alignment without undue risk or complexity .
- Shareholder Alignment: Stock ownership policy compliance and annual director equity grant support skin-in-the-game; company maintains anti-hedging/pledging and clawback policies at the executive level—positive governance signals .
- Conflicts/Related Parties: No material related-party transactions; any director/officer loans are on market terms; oversight via code of ethics and board approval requirements mitigates conflict risk .
- Say-on-Pay Signal: 94% approval on executive say-on-pay in the prior year indicates supportive shareholder sentiment toward compensation governance broadly (context for board oversight effectiveness) .
RED FLAGS: None identified specific to Elliott. No disclosures of pledging/hedging, low attendance, pay anomalies, or related-party transactions involving his companies. Continued monitoring warranted given ownership of private enterprises in CWBC’s markets, but current disclosures show no material conflicts .