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The basics:

• BCB Community Bank names Thomas O’Brien president, CEO
• Executive has led 6 banking companies during nearly 50-year career
• Board cites operational, credit challenges behind leadership change
• O’Brien plans review of company operations and strategy

Bayonne-based BCB Community Bank is welcoming new leadership with the appointment of a permanent CEO.

The bank’s holding company BCB Bancorp announced Thomas O’Brien as president and chief executive officer June 1. His position is effective that same day and O’Brien also cleared election to the boards of the company and bank.

A respected community bank leader, the appointment marks O’Brien’s return to the New Jersey banking market. The executive brings experience from having served as chief executive at six different banking companies over his nearly 50-year career. At BCB, he takes over for Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ryan Blake.

The COO told NJBIZ he served in the interim leadership post from May 20 through the Monday morning announcement. Blake took over for Michael Shriner, who exited the position May 20. No further details regarding the reason for Shriner’s exit were provided. He assumed the post in 2024.

In a comment on O’Brien’s hiring, Chairman of the Board Mark Hogan seemed to signal the move was intentional.

“The Board of Directors determined to make a change at the CEO level at this time to address the recent operational and credit challenges the Company has experienced. While much has been accomplished to date, we feel the need to accelerate our efforts,” Hogan said. “When we learned of Tom’s availability, the board found common ground with its needs and his experience.”

He went on to describe O’Brien as the right person to address recent challenges and pave the road forward. Hogan noted the board “unanimously endorsed his hiring and his agenda.”

Making progress

Launched in 2000, BCB has 23 branch offices across the state and four locations in Hicksville and Staten Island, N.Y. It provides a range of loans, deposits products and retail and commercial banking services.

In April, the bank reported net income for $4.9 million for the first quarter of 2026. That compares with a net loss of $12 million in Q4 to close out 2025. It’s also an improvement from a year ago; in Q1 2025 the bank reported a net loss of $8.3 million.

At the time, then president and CEO Shriner said the profitable first quarter reflected “steady financial momentum and continued improvement across our core performance metrics. Our capital and liquidity positions remain strong, and the credit headwinds experienced in 2025 have moderated, consistent with our expectations.

“Following the stabilization of these trends, we have resumed lending activity and anticipate loan originations will continue to build momentum as the year progresses.”

As of March 31, total deposits were $2.672 billion.

O’Brien most recently served as CEO at Sterling Bank & Trust, which EverBank NA acquired last year. He also previously led Sun Bancorp Inc. and Sun National Bank as president and CEO from April 2014 to February 2018. OceanFirst Bank acquired that institution in 2017. BCB noted O’Brien’s high-profile and established industry relationships across regulatory agencies, analysts and investors.

“The heavy demands of regulation, operating costs, technology, and finding key talent coupled with intense competition for quality lending opportunities pressures this industry on a daily basis,” O’Brien said in a statement with his hiring announcement.

“My immediate goal is to identify the areas of the company that need further improvement and undertake an aggressive program to address these matters. … As is my custom, communications with board, regulators, and shareholders will be regular and transparent. I anticipate being able to provide some meaningful clarity on our plans by late summer.”