Thomas J. Kemly was appointed President and CEO of Columbia Bank in 2012. He has since led the Bank on a steady growth trajectory by spearheading organic growth, Columbia Financial, Inc.’s IPO and strategic acquisitions. With over 40 years of experience, Mr. Kemly has been an active and influential figure in banking. Most recently, Kemly was elected to the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York’s Board of Directors and was named to the Power 100 List by NJBIZ, a statewide business publication. Throughout his career he has worked to advance housing opportunities for families of all incomes, accelerate local community development and increase charitable giving efforts. Kemly pioneered the Bank’s “Team Columbia” initiatives, where the Bank encourages employees to volunteer at local organizations and participate in meaningful community events. In conjunction with Columbia Bank’s IPO in 2018, he grew the Columbia Bank Foundation to one of the largest private giving Foundations in the state of New Jersey.
Kemly began his Columbia Bank career in 1981 and has held a number of positions, including Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, before becoming President of the Bank.