Laura Ekizian
About Laura Ekizian
Laura “Divot” Ekizian, age 54, is President & CEO of Quad City Bank & Trust (QCBT), a subsidiary of QCR Holdings, Inc., since January 2025, after serving as President & Chief Relationship Officer since 2020 and EVP, Chief Relationship Officer since 2015 . A Chicago native and St. Ambrose University alum, she earned a BA in 1992 and an MBA in 1997, and has 24 years at QCBT with deep community leadership roles (Quad Cities Chamber, Quad City Arts, Girl Scouts, St. Ambrose) . Company performance context during her senior leadership tenure: in 2024 QCR Holdings’ $100 TSR index reached 188 (peer 132), with consolidated net income of $113,850k and adjusted EPS of $7.03 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quad City Bank & Trust | Private Banking Officer | 2000–2015 | Built client relationships; foundation for leadership roles . |
| Quad City Bank & Trust | EVP, Chief Relationship Officer | 2015–2020 | Deepened community/business ties; relationship-led growth . |
| Quad City Bank & Trust | President & Chief Relationship Officer | 2020–Jan 2025 | Oversaw private banking, consumer/residential lending, retail, marketing; contributed to QCBT’s Quad Cities market leadership . |
| Quad City Bank & Trust | President & CEO | Jan 2025–present | Succeeded retiring CEO; continues relationship-driven strategy with QCBT #1 market share in Quad Cities . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Ambrose University | Vice Chair, Board of Trustees | Current | Alumni leader; BA ’92, MBA ’97 . |
| Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce | Board/Leadership | Current | Community economic development . |
| Quad City Arts | Board/Leadership | Current | Regional arts support . |
| Girl Scouts of Eastern IA & Western IL | Board/Leadership | Current | Youth development . |
Fixed Compensation
No Ms. Ekizian–specific base salary/bonus disclosures appear in the latest proxy (2025) or appointment 8-Ks; 2024 NEOs were Helling, Gipple, Anderson, Winter, McNew (Ekizian was not listed) . Company program elements for executive pay (context): base salary, annual bonus, and equity awards, reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee .
Performance Compensation
Company-wide executive design and metrics (context for alignment):
- RSUs for NEOs granted in March 2025 with four-year equal annual vesting; settlement in cash upon each vest event .
- Performance awards (one-time grants for select NEOs) tied to annual net income goals with multi-year service requirements; vesting certified by the Compensation Committee .
- Clawback policy (Aug 2023) to recoup incentive comp post restatement per Nasdaq rules; insider trading/anti-hedging/anti-pledging policies in effect .
Note: Ms. Ekizian’s specific annual incentive plan metrics/targets and payouts are not disclosed in available filings; the above reflects the QCRH framework applied to NEOs .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
Ownership Snapshot (latest filings)
| Holding Type | Shares | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct common | 5,632 | Sep 5, 2025 | . |
| Indirect common (managed account) | 9,903 | Sep 5, 2025 | . |
Insider Transactions (2025)
| Date | Transaction | Shares | Price | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 26, 2025 | Sale of common | 1,000 | $80.00 | $80,000 | . |
| Aug 26, 2025 | Option exercise (non-qualified) | 1,000 | $22.64 (exercise) | N/A | . |
| Sep 5, 2025 | Sale of common | 333 | $80.00 | $26,640 | . |
Outstanding Options (per Form 4 details)
| Award | Exercise Price | Expiration | Vesting | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-qualified stock option | $22.64 | Feb 1, 2026 | 25% annually; first tranche at 1-year anniversary | . |
Ownership Policies and Pledging
- Stock ownership guidelines: non-employee directors must hold 5× annual retainer (2,945 shares for 2025); NEOs have role-based guidelines (Messrs. Helling & Gipple: 30,000 shares; other NEOs: 3,626 shares within three years). Compliance monitored annually; directors and NEOs currently compliant (Ekizian was not a 2024 NEO in the proxy) .
- Anti-pledging and anti-hedging policies: in force and referenced in the proxy and insider trading policy .
- No pledging disclosed for Ms. Ekizian in Form 4 filings reviewed .
Employment Terms
No publicly filed employment agreement, severance, or change-of-control terms specific to Ms. Ekizian were identified. Recent 8-Ks disclosed new employment agreements and severance economics for Messrs. Gipple and Anderson (e.g., severance at 100% base salary for non-CIC terminations; 200% base plus most recent cash incentive for CIC terminations; COBRA coverage at active employee rates) but did not include Ms. Ekizian . Her appointment to succeed Mr. Anderson at QCBT was announced May 20, 2024 without compensation terms .
Performance & Track Record
- Senior leadership tenure corresponded with QCBT achieving the #1 market share position in the Quad Cities market (ongoing) .
- Company-level context: QCR Holdings’ consolidated 2024 performance showed TSR index of 188 for a $100 initial investment (peer group 132), net income of $113,850k, and adjusted EPS of $7.03 .
- Prior CEO transition context: QCBT assets grew from ~$600 million (2007) to $2.6 billion by retirement of her predecessor, indicating a scaled platform she now leads **[https://qcbt.bank/posts/qcbt-ceo-john-anderson-retires-laura-divot-ekizian-takes-the-helm#::text=Succeeding%20Anderson%20as%20CEO%20is,further%20deepening%20her%20community%20engagement.]**.
Compensation Committee Analysis (QCR Holdings)
- Compensation Committee members (2025): Mark C. Kilmer (Chair), James M. Field, John F. Griesemer, Elizabeth S. Jacobs, Amy L. Reasner, Marie Z. Ziegler; recommended CD&A inclusion and oversees ownership/retention guidelines and clawback policy .
- Independent consultant: Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc. retained since 2015; assessed independent and free of conflicts; advises on peer group and program design .
Say-on-Pay & Shareholder Feedback
- QCR Holdings conducts annual say‑on‑pay votes; Board recommends approval as disclosed in the 2025 proxy .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Meaningful direct and indirect holdings (5,632 direct; 9,903 indirect as of 9/5/25) indicate skin‑in‑the‑game, with anti‑hedging/anti‑pledging and ownership guidelines reinforcing alignment .
- Selling pressure: 2025 insider sales totaled 1,333 shares at ~$80 amid one option exercise; modest size suggests limited near‑term overhang, but option expiry in Feb 2026 could create tactical liquidity events .
- Retention risk: Absence of publicly disclosed employment/severance terms for Ms. Ekizian limits visibility into change‑of‑control or termination economics; monitor future proxies/8‑Ks for contract filings .
- Performance orientation: Company’s incentive framework emphasizes RSUs with multi‑year vesting and net income‑based performance awards for NEOs, plus a clawback policy—positive signals for pay‑for‑performance discipline .