OUR STORY

Built by operators.
Trusted by innovators.

Two decades of banking discipline, nationwide operations, and a team driven to power your success.

How We Started

From two Connecticut branches to a national platform.

DRB was founded over two decades ago as Darien Rowayton Bank, to serve businesses and families in Fairfield County, CT.

Since then the team at DRB has grown from these roots to establish a nationwide program. Led by entrepreneurs, the Bank designed, built, and sold a national digital lending Fintech in 2019, developed an industry leading commercial banking practice, and established itself as a leading fintech sponsor bank. All while never losing sight of its founding commitment to deliver best-in-class customer service.

About DRB
2006Darien, Connecticut

Every client relationship is personal. Every decision is intentional. Every partnership is a commitment to empowering the next generation of financial ambition.

DRB unites operator expertise, white-glove service and rigorous compliance with a mindset built for the modern professional.

Banking That's Built Different

What working with us actually means.

Whether you are a fintech founder or a small business owner, our commitments remain the same.

Operator speed

Decisions move in days, not quarters. You get a timeline up front and we hold to it.

Builders, not just bankers

Our team has designed, launched, and sold national businesses. We understand what it takes to build a company and are here to empower your growth.

Compliance is our strength

Our compliance and risk management infrastructure is central to our company's success. We don't cut corners and maintain the highest regulatory standards across our entire operation.

Direct access

You work with dedicated staff that understand your priorities. No submission forms or help tickets to speak with your team.
  • 20+Years of banking, from Darien Rowayton Bank to DRB
  • $4.5BOriginated on the digital lending platform our team built and sold
  • 50States served as a national fintech sponsor bank
  • FDICMember FDIC and Connecticut state-chartered. NMLS # 402942
Management Team

The people who answer the phone.

DRB is run by a small executive team with direct ownership of credit, compliance and client relationships.

Jason Hardgrave

Chief Executive Officer
Read bio Jason Hardgrave

Leidy Nunez

Chief Financial Officer
Read bio Leidy Nunez

Syd Ally

Chief Operating Officer
Read bio Syd Ally

Robert Herrmann

EVP, Chief Credit Officer
Read bio Robert Herrmann

John Barbalaco

EVP, Chief Banking Officer
Read bio John Barbalaco

Derek Henderson

Chief Compliance Officer
Read bio Derek Henderson

Mike Jones

Director of Capital Markets
Read bio Mike Jones

Jason Hardgrave

Chief Executive Officer
Jason Hardgrave is CEO of DR Bank. He has extensive experience in both Retail and Commercial Banking, as well as in developing and launching new and innovative digital financial solutions and partnerships. Previous roles prior to DR Bank have included running significant product lines for Santander Bank N.A., including Deposits, Payments, FinTech Partnerships, Consumer Lending and Credit Card. In addition to these areas, Jason has also held leadership roles in Business and Corporate Banking. Jason also has a background in Financial Services strategy consulting and was one of the founders of Novantas, a strategic consulting firm, and worked at First Manhattan Consulting Group. Jason holds both an Undergraduate degree and Graduate MBA degree from Tulane University.

Leidy Nunez

Chief Financial Officer
Leidy began her career at Deloitte, where she spent eight years auditing clients in the financial services sector—including private equity firms, hedge funds, and investment banks. After Deloitte, Leidy joined a registered investment firm, where she was responsible for SEC financial reporting and supporting the implementation of Sarbanes-Oxley controls. For the past eight years, Leidy has held progressive leadership roles at DR Bank, including Financial Reporting Manager, SVP of Reporting and Accounting Policy, and SVP Controller before being appointed CFO. Leidy holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College and is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of New York.

Syd Ally

Chief Operating Officer
Syd Ally is the Chief Operating Officer of DR Bank. Prior to this role, Mr. Ally was instrumental in developing the Bank’s Laurel Road brand for digital lending and served as Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Consumer Lending Executive. He also served as the interim Chief Financial Officer of the Bank. He has over 30 years of banking experience which includes: President & CEO, Quantum Auto Group; SVP/GM, Consumer Lending - Washington Mutual Bank and SVP/Strategic Planning & Finance Director, Consumer Lending - The Dime Savings Bank of New York. Mr. Ally holds an Undergraduate degree from Pace University and a Graduate MBA degree from St. John’s University.

Robert Herrmann

EVP, Chief Credit Officer
Rob Herrmann has 30 years of experience in credit and lending and has been employed with DR Bank since November 2010. For the first seven years of his employment at the Bank, Rob served as the Bank’s Chief Lending Officer. In December 2017, he was named Chief Credit Officer. He previously held credit and lending-related positions with People’s United Bank, Citibank, Pitney Bowes Credit Corporation, and First Fidelity Bancorporation. Rob earned undergraduate and graduate (MBA) degrees from the University of Connecticut. He also received formal credit training from First Fidelity Bancorporation.

John Barbalaco

EVP, Chief Banking Officer
John Barbalaco is a seasoned banking executive with over 20 years of banking experience. As the EVP, Chief Banking Officer, John is responsible for the generation of new deposit and loan business for DR Bank. Previously, John held commercial lending roles at Provident Bank, Hudson Valley Bank, and Union State Bank. He earned his BS from Fordham University Gabelli School of Business and his MBA from the University of Connecticut.

Derek Henderson

Chief Compliance Officer
Derek has over 15 years of compliance and risk management experience in the banking industry. Derek joined the Bank in July 2020. Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. Henderson was at Metropolitan Commercial Bank for three years where he was the VP, Corporate Compliance Governance which monitored regulatory compliance for the Bank. Prior to Metropolitan, Derek was a manager in Ernst and Young’s Financial Services Risk Management practice focused on consumer regulatory compliance matters for his clients in the banking industry. Derek earned his bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from Syracuse University. Derek is a Certified Public Accountant in New York and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist.

Mike Jones

Director of Capital Markets

Mike Jones is the Director of Capital Markets at DR Bank. Mike joined the Bank in May 2024.

Prior to joining the Bank, Mike was a Senior Manager on the capital markets team at Affirm, a leading Fintech in the BNPL space. At Affirm, Mike led financing activities across the forward flow and warehouse finance verticals.

Prior to Affirm, Mike was an Associate in the ABS Banking group at BofA Merrill Lynch, structuring and originating asset-backed securities as well as providing warehouse financing for specialty finance companies. Mike began his career in the Municipal Banking & Finance group at BofAML, structuring bonds for state-based student loan and housing finance agencies.

Mike holds a dual degree in Mathematics and Economics from Cornell University.

Board Members

Governance

Gary Lieberman

Chairman

Gary Lieberman is Chairman of the Board of DR Bank. He has over 35 years of experience building and restructuring businesses in the financial industry. In addition to his role at DR Bank, Mr. Lieberman serves as the Chief Investment Officer of LH Private Consumer Credit, a joint venture with Lighthouse Investment Partners that specializes in consumer credit opportunities. Previously, Mr. Lieberman was the founding member and CEO of West Side Advisors, LLC (an SEC registered investment advisor established in 1997), as well as the founder of the Laurel Road digital student lending platform ($4.5 billion in originations over 5 years and subsequently sold to Key Bank).

Mr. Lieberman has served on the board of directors for the Brooklyn Nets and the Riverdale Country School. He has also served on the board of Urban Dove, a last chance public charter high school. Additionally, Mr. Lieberman founded, in conjunction with the Riverdale Country School, The Bronx Connection, a program for inner city students and their families affording access to cultural, academic and athletic programs. Mr. Lieberman has also served as an executive producer on many documentaries primarily related to marginalized communities which have premiered at Sundance, Tribeca and various other international film festivals.

Mr. Lieberman received a B.A. from Emory University and an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.