Board of Directors
Experienced leaders who make a difference.
Board of Directors
Pat Lawton
Chairman
Pat Lawton serves as Director of Fixed Income Capital Markets at Robert W. Baird & Co. He is responsible for all areas of Fixed Income Capital Markets, including Public Finance and Sales and Trading. Pat is a member of Baird’s Board of Directors and serves on the Executive Committee. Prior to joining Baird in 1988, Pat spent seven years with Merrill Lynch Capital Markets Group. Additionally, he is a member of the Board of Trustees at Marquette University, where he is also an alumnus, having earned an MBA.
Ellen S. Bartel
Ellen S. Bartel holds the position of President of the Kinship Community Food Center Board of Directors in Milwaukee. She previously served as President of Divine Savior Holy Angels (DSHA) High School from 1998-2018; prior to that, she held the role of Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Alverno College, where she also contributed in other capacities from 1986-1997. She is also past President and current member of the TEMPO Foundation Board of Directors. A dual alumna of the University of Notre Dame, Ellen received her B.A. in American Studies and Philosophy and furthered her education with an M.S. in Administration.
Douglas S. Gordon
Douglas S. Gordon joined WaterStone Bank in 2005, initially serving as President and Chief Operating Officer. Subsequently, in 2007, he took on the roles of President and CEO. Doug retired as CEO in 2023, continuing to contribute as a valued member of the WaterStone Bank Board of Directors. His financial background includes senior positions at Security Bank, where he established the institution’s first commercial lending department, and later Marshall & Ilsley Corp., where he headed the commercial real estate division at M&I Bank.
Doug, who holds degrees in business and mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, earned an MBA from Marquette University in 1981. Actively involved in community initiatives, Doug contributes to Local Initiatives Support Corp., SecureFutures and the Marquette University Banking Curriculum. Doug also served on the Community Banking Advisory Board for the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank from 2018-2020.
Michael L. Hansen
Michael L. Hansen, a business investor, holds substantial ownership stakes in Jacsten Holdings LLC. Michael’s role as Chair of the Audit Committee at WaterStone Bank and his 13-year background in auditing, both publicly and closely held companies, including seven years of tax consulting services, are bolstered by his credentials as a Certified Public Accountant. Michael earned his BBA from the University of Notre Dame.
Molly Mulroy
Molly Mulroy serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at WEC Energy Group. Since joining in 1999, she has held leadership roles in customer service, finance, wholesale energy, regulatory affairs, cybersecurity, and operations. She is active in the Milwaukee community, serving on the boards of the Milwaukee Ballet, Milwaukee Women, Inc., Milwaukee Tech Hub, and the Next Door Foundation. Molly earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota and her M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Laura Piotrowski
Laura Piotrowski is the CEO and President of Cavendish Vernal, a strategic advisory firm she founded in 2017. She previously served as Executive Vice President of The Benefit Companies and held senior finance roles at Robert W. Baird & Co. and Stein’s Garden & Home. Laura is a CPA and SHRM-SCP and earned her B.S. from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and her Executive M.B.A. from Marquette University. She currently serves on the board of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southeastern Wisconsin.
Stephen Schmidt
Stephen Schmidt is the CEO of Schmidt and Bartelt Funeral and Cremation Services. Stephen has entrepreneurial experience and extensive relationships throughout the communities served by WaterStone Bank. He earned a degree in business from the University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point before attending the New England Institute in Boston to earn his degree in Funeral Service.
Derek Tyus
Derek Tyus is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Versiti, Inc. Prior to this role, Derek was the Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of West Bend Mutual Insurance Company.
Derek has a 25-year background in the insurance industry, holding investment positions in private debt and equity, real estate, wealth management as well as strategy and administration. Derek is a graduate of Marquette University and received his MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
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