Robert H. Bartlein
About Robert H. Bartlein
Robert H. Bartlein (77) is Vice Chairman and Director of Community West Bancshares, appointed April 1, 2024 following CWBC’s acquisition of Community West Bancshares; he is independent under Nasdaq rules. He founded Community West Bancshares (CWB) and is President & CEO of Bartlein & Company Inc., a property management firm; he holds a University of Wisconsin–Madison degree in Finance, Investments and Banking with post‑graduate study at UW–Milwaukee. His core credentials include deep real estate expertise, credit analysis, accounting and finance, and strong familiarity with California’s Central Coast markets. He beneficially owns 436,876 CWBC shares (2.29% of outstanding), including 1,820 unvested restricted shares with voting rights .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community West Bancshares (pre-merger CWB) | Founder and Director | Not disclosed | Founder-director experience contributed coastal market knowledge and real estate expertise . |
| Community West Bancshares (CWBC, post-merger) | Vice Chairman and Director | Since Apr 1, 2024 | Elevated to Vice Chairman at merger close; appointed to Executive Committee and key Board committees . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bartlein & Company Inc. | President & CEO | Not disclosed | Property management company founded in 1969 with five California offices and other states . |
| American Lung Association of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties | Past President and Director | Not disclosed | Non-profit leadership; community engagement on Central Coast . |
Board Governance
| Committee | Role | 2024 Meetings | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compensation Committee | Chair | 6 | Oversees executive and director compensation, incentives, and governance of pay programs . |
| Nomination & Governance Committee | Member | 2 | Director nominations, board composition, governance policies . |
| Strategic Planning Committee | Member | 3 | Strategic plan development, premises, and M&A feasibility . |
| Executive Committee | Member | 0 | Established Apr 1, 2024; possesses delegated Board powers; did not meet in 2024 . |
- Independence: Determined independent by the Board under Nasdaq standards .
- Attendance: Board held 10 meetings in 2024; each incumbent director attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and applicable committee meetings; all 15 directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Stock ownership policy: Minimum 2,000 shares required; as of Dec 31, 2024, all directors and NEOs were in compliance .
- Board leadership: Chairman is separate from CEO, supporting independent oversight .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fees earned or paid in cash | $30,200 | As reported in Director Compensation Table . |
| Standard annual fees (structure) | Vice Chairman $44,400; Director $34,800 | Committee chairs receive an additional $200 per meeting . |
| All other compensation | $0 | No split‑dollar insurance value reported for Bartlein . |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Grant | Grant Date | Shares | Fair Value | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Stock (Directors) | May 30, 2024 | 1,820 | $30,000 | One-year cliff (vests May 30, 2025) | Director awards subject to forfeiture during vesting period . |
Equity is time‑based; no director performance metrics are tied to equity grants. All non‑employee directors received the same 1,820-share award on May 30, 2024 .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Other public company boards | None disclosed . |
| Private company boards | President & CEO of Bartlein & Company Inc. (private) . |
| Non‑profit/academic boards | Past President & Director, American Lung Association of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties . |
| Interlocks with competitors/suppliers/customers | None material disclosed; related-party loans may occur on market terms, exempt under Sarbanes‑Oxley prohibitions . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Real estate transactions, law, credit analysis, accounting, income tax, finance; deep knowledge of Central Coast markets .
- Board skill matrix indicates strengths in Public Company Board Experience, Financial, Risk Management, Accounting, Corporate Governance/Ethics, Legal/Regulatory Compliance, HR/Compensation, Executive Experience, Banking Operations, Strategic Planning/Oversight, Technology, and M&A .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 436,876 (includes 1,820 unvested restricted shares with voting rights) . |
| Ownership (% of outstanding) | 2.29% (based on 19,061,009 shares outstanding) . |
| Unvested restricted shares | 1,820 (voting eligible until vesting) . |
| Pledged or hedged shares | No pledging disclosed; Company maintains anti‑hedging and anti‑pledging policies . |
| Ownership guideline compliance | Compliant as of Dec 31, 2024 . |
Governance Assessment
- Committee influence: As Compensation Committee Chair, Bartlein oversees executive pay philosophy, peer benchmarking, incentive design, and governance practices (independent consultant retained; anti‑hedging/pledging; clawback policy) .
- Pay-for-performance oversight: In 2024, the Compensation Committee applied discretionary adjustments to Net Consolidated Income and Non‑Interest Expense to exclude merger‑related expenses and investment portfolio restructuring losses; rationale cited as alignment to long‑term benefits. This indicates reliance on judgment in incentive outcomes and warrants investor monitoring of future discretion use .
- Alignment: Significant personal ownership (2.29%) and compliance with ownership guidelines support alignment with shareholders .
- Independence and attendance: Independent status and at least 75% attendance across Board/committee meetings underpin engagement and governance quality .
- Shareholder sentiment: Say‑on‑pay received ~94% approval in the prior year, signaling support for compensation practices overseen by the committee .
- Related‑party risk: No material related‑party transactions >$120,000 disclosed; any insider loans occur on market terms consistent with policy and law .
RED FLAGS
- None acute disclosed. Watchpoints: (1) Chairing Compensation while serving as Vice Chairman concentrates influence—monitor rigor of incentive target‑setting and adjustments, especially in merger contexts . (2) Ensure continued compliance with anti‑hedging/pledging and clawback enforcement to preserve alignment . (3) Executive Committee membership implies added authority—monitor decision‑making transparency given no 2024 meetings .