About Us
Since opening our first branch in January 2005, Poppy Bank has grown to over $5 Billion in assets with branches across the San Francisco Bay Area, Roseville-Sacramento Area and Southern California. We also have loan production offices in Northern and Southern California, as well as in Nevada, Arizona and Texas. Our commitment to providing the best products and services has propelled our success and garnered national recognition of our performance. Poppy Bank is 5-star rated by BauerFinancial, the nation’s leading independent bank and credit union rating firm, and is recognized as one of the strongest financial institutions in the country. Poppy Bank has also been ranked as one of the best-performing banks in the nation by the ICBA. The Bank is governed by our strong team of Executive Officers and a dedicated Board of Directors formed entirely by accomplished business leaders. We exist to meet the banking needs of our clients and to make a positive difference in the communities we serve.
Message from the CEO
Khalid Acheckzai, President & Chief Executive Officer
Despite the many recent challenges in the economy and the Banking industry, Poppy Bank continues to thrive and grow. Our strength, reliability and safe risk management practices continue to set Poppy Bank apart. Poppy Bank is rated as one of the strongest financial institutions in the nation by BauerFinancial. We continue to garner national recognition as American Banker and S&P Global once again ranked Poppy Bank as one of the best performing banks in the nation. As we continue our growth and expansion in 2024, we plan to open more branches in the Bay Area and Southern California. The new branch locations opening in 2024 include San Jose, downtown Walnut Creek, Calabasas, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Brea, Carlsbad, and Scripps Ranch. While many banks are closing branches, we look forward to expanding our geographic footprint in these markets. By the end of 2024, we will have 35 branches throughout the state. As we grow, our focus remains the same—to provide excellent products and services to support our clients, and to make a positive difference in the communities we serve.
I would like to thank our clients, employees, shareholders and the communities we serve for your continued commitment to Poppy Bank.
Poppy Bank specializes in business lending including commercial loans and lines of credit, commercial real estate, construction and SBA/USDA loans. We have built a reputation of responding quickly to loan requests, turning applications around expeditiously, and efficiently closing loans through a streamlined, hassle-free process. In addition, we offer a full array of personal and business banking products and services including deposit products, cash management services and ACH processing.
We are the 18-time winner of Best Places to Work in the North Bay and have been named the Best Business Bank in the North Bay by NorthBay biz magazine. Each and every employee of Poppy Bank is dedicated to providing extraordinary service and building relationships with our clients. We give back to our communities through supporting employee volunteer hours, serving on non-profit boards of directors, and sponsoring events. We are committed to our clients and communities, all of whom we consider an integral part of the Poppy Bank family.
Come see us today at any one of our convenient locations, or contact us to learn more about how Poppy Bank is the solution for all of your banking needs. We look forward to serving you!
Poppy Bank is Rated 5-Stars
We Are Rated 5-Stars by BauerFinancial*
Poppy Bank is recognized as one of the strongest financial institutions in the country.
– Security
– Strength
– Reliability
*BauerFinancial, Inc. is the nation’s leading independent bank and credit union rating firm.
www.bauerfinancial.com (800) 388-6686
Board of Directors
Khalid Acheckzai, CPA
President & Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Acheckzai is the President & Chief Executive Officer of Poppy Bank and its parent company, Big Poppy Holdings. Mr. Acheckzai joined Poppy Bank in 2015 and under his leadership the Bank has experienced significant growth and expansion while consistently being recognized as one of the best-performing banks in the nation. Prior to his position as President & Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Acheckzai served as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Poppy Bank. He has more than 25 years of combined banking experience, both working in the banking industry and providing auditing, consulting, and risk management services to financial institutions. Mr. Acheckzai is a CPA and received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from California State University, Hayward. He is also a graduate of the Pacific Coast Graduate School of Banking at the University of Washington.
William P. Gallaher
Mr. Gallaher is Chairman of the Board of Poppy Bank. He is a principal in Gallaher Companies in Santa Rosa, which since 1995 has developed senior assisted living and Alzheimer’s care communities in three western states. Mr. Gallaher was a successful homebuilder in Sonoma County, having built more than 500 homes in Oakmont and throughout the Santa Rosa and Windsor, California areas.
Ajaib Bhadare
Mr. Bhadare is a Scholar of London and a 25-plus-year veteran of the telecommunications industry. Mr. Bhadare was a co-founder of Cerent, acquired by Cisco Systems in 1999 and he was founding Director of Calix Systems, a public company. Currently, Mr. Bhadare is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Billa Management, a diverse real estate and development company.
Ron Carli
Mr. Carli served as President and Chief Executive Officer at American Ag Credit for more than 30 years. He is a prominent and respected leader in the banking community. Mr. Carli’s vast knowledge of the business and agricultural community is valuable in furthering Poppy Bank’s mission of being the bank of choice for all business types.
Molly Gallaher Flater
Ms. Flater is the Chief Operating Officer of Gallaher Companies and Gallaher Homes in Santa Rosa. Under Ms. Flater’s surveillance, the company has achieved phenomenal occupancy and strong operating margins both on the senior living and standard multi-family housing portfolios. Ms. Flater served on the Poppy Bank Board of Directors from 2013 to 2015 and rejoined the Board after serving as the Founding Chairwoman of Blue Gate Bank from 2016 to 2018.
Steve McCullagh
Mr. McCullagh recently retired from his position as Site Acquisition and Development with Gallaher Companies. Mr. McCullagh was formerly Chief Credit Officer and Board Member with Sonoma National Bank in Santa Rosa. Mr. McCullagh has over 25 years of banking experience with community banks located throughout Northern California.
Louis Ratto
Mr. Ratto was in the solid waste and recycling business for over 25 years. In 2017 his company was acquired by Recology of San Francisco. He continues to be involved in environmental consulting. Mr. Ratto is also active in property management and development as well as real estate investing in Northern California.
Duane Sartori
Mr. Sartori is an attorney to the Petaluma law firm of Baddeley, Oliker & Sartori, a Professional Law Corporation. He has practiced law in Sonoma County for more than 40 years and specializes in estate planning and administration.
John Scharer
Mr. Scharer is a retired principal in the Petaluma real estate firm of Hudson & Scharer. He served as City Manager for the City of Petaluma from 1981-1997 before retiring. Mr. Scharer was Director of Finance for the City of Petaluma from 1974-1981 and Chief Financial Officer for Redwood Empire Savings & Loan Association in Petaluma.
Komron Shahhosseini
Mr. Shahhosseini serves as Regional Director of site acquisitions and development at Gallaher Companies in Santa Rosa and is an expert on the subject of land use and development. Mr. Shahhosseini has developed real estate projects throughout California, including mixed-use and multi-family developments, retirement communities, and affordable housing. He serves on the board of directors of Burbank Housing, a regional non-profit affordable housing developer. He understands the complexities of building energy projects and the factors that matter to local decision-makers. For more than 10 years, Mr. Shahhosseini has served on the Sonoma County Planning Commission.
Executive Leadership and Senior Management
Khalid Acheckzai, CPA
President & Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Acheckzai is the President & Chief Executive Officer of Poppy Bank and its parent company, Big Poppy Holdings. Mr. Acheckzai joined Poppy Bank in 2015 and under his leadership the Bank has experienced significant growth and expansion while consistently being recognized as one of the best-performing banks in the nation. Prior to his position as President & Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Acheckzai served as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Poppy Bank. He has more than 25 years of combined banking experience, both working in the banking industry and providing auditing, consulting, and risk management services to financial institutions. Mr. Acheckzai is a CPA and received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from California State University, Hayward. He is also a graduate of the Pacific Coast Graduate School of Banking at the University of Washington.
Catalina Bahri CAMS, CRCM
Senior Vice President
Head of Compliance
Adam Belter
Senior Vice President
Controller
Carie Fletcher
Senior Vice President
Loan Administrator
Rich Lewis
Senior Vice President
Information Security Officer
Debbie Seaman
Senior Vice President
Branch Operations Support & Bank Security Officer
Jacob Smith
Senior Vice President
Information Technology Officer
Jessica Soulié, SPHR
Senior Vice President
Human Resources
Ash Vaid
Senior Vice President
Head of Branch Banking
Client Testimonials
“Poppy Bank surprised me with a family feeling, creating a real relationship. Everything was streamlined, easy and hassle-free—from my SBA loan to setting up a 401K plan and money market accounts.”
Kevin Jones, Franchise Partner/Owner
FASTSIGNS
“Poppy Bank took a personal interest in the work we were doing. They made an important connection for us, opening up a new market for us.”
Co-Founders Kathy Patterson, Stacey Schuett, and Fred Patterson
SEBASTOPOL MICROGREENS
“I’d been talking to another bank about buying this business but they were slow and not very available. Then I got connected to the team at Poppy Bank, and they were incredible. They explained everything, advised me on where to put my energy, and made sure every detail was right. It was a relatively small loan, but they treated me like I was worth millions.”
David Mohle
ACCENT PRINTING AND DESIGN
“We weren’t getting personal attention from our bank and they couldn’t give us a larger line of credit. Poppy Bank stepped up.”
Andrew Hutchins, COO
THINK TANK
Giving Back to the Community
“Since 2005, Poppy Bank has helped our organization provide 100,000 meals for our neighbors in need. From sponsoring our annual Empty Bowls Dinner & Auction and our Annual Food & Funds Drive, to donating funds for fire relief, Poppy Bank’s partnership has enabled our organization to end hunger every day for the many children, families, seniors and individuals struggling with hunger. On behalf of the 82,000 people we serve, and our team, thank you Poppy Bank for your continued partnership in the fight to end hunger. You’ve made a tremendous impact and we are immensely grateful.”
Caryn Mali, Corporate Relations Manager
“Poppy Bank continues to give back to the community and is a strong supporter of Go Red for Women! Thank you for making our community healthier!”
Stacey Gibbons, Executive Director
“At Council on Aging, we consider ourselves fortunate for the 14+ years banking relationship we have had with Poppy Bank. We know from experience, you do not receive the personal service from large banking institutions that you do with Poppy Bank. Those personal relationships ensure quick assistance with just a phone call. There is nowhere else we would rather do our banking business. In addition to the wonderful service, Council on Aging has been the grateful recipient of Poppy Bank’s community support and investment. Poppy Bank believes in supporting our senior community and the 20 senior service programs that we provide, including Meals on Wheels.”
Marrianne McBride, President and CEO
“Poppy Bank is local, personalized community banking at its absolute best. Poppy Bank is a committed supporter of Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County going back to 2011. Thanks to Poppy Bank’s commitment to affordable housing, they have participated in the development of 10 Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County houses. Poppy Bank plays a key role in the sustainability and success of Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County in developing affordable housing for our community”
Mike Johnson CEO, Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County
“Poppy Bank is local, personalized banking at its absolute best. As a business customer, The Zones joined Poppy Bank for their excellence in customer service as well as their partnership in giving back to the community they serve. At every encounter, our organization has been met with the kind of friendly, personal service that makes us feel like we’re their most important customer.”
Amber Heidtke, Executive Director
“Poppy Bank has been a strong supporter of the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County going back to 2005 when it was just a mobile museum in the back of a van. Thanks to Poppy’s commitment to early childhood development and access for all children, the Children’s Museum was able to finance and implement a one-acre outdoor space at the Museum called Mary’s Garden, which is devoted to nature and environmental sustainability, water conservation and renewable energies. With its continued support, Poppy Bank plays a key role in the mission of the Children’s Museum to bring curiosity and creativity to all children through joyful, transformative experiences.”
Collette Michaud, CEO and Founder
“Poppy Bank has been a strong supporter of the Sonoma County Family YMCA for years. Their investments help local people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds reach their fullest potential in YMCA programs like preschool, after school care, diabetes prevention and Safety Around Water. Poppy Bank is a tremendous asset to the YMCA and those we serve.”
Michelle Covington, Chief Advancement Officer
“It is my privilege to provide the following testimonial regarding our long history of business partnership together. As YWCA Sonoma County continues to expand we rely on our banking partnership with Poppy Bank for deposit services, online banking and their lending expertise. For us, Poppy makes a positive difference in our community by sharing and supporting YWCA’s commitment to keep Sonoma County families safe from harm.”
Madeleine Keegan O’Connell, Chief Executive Officer
