Executive Officers

Christopher Gruseke, President & CEO of Bankwell Financial Group, brings over 25 years of finance experience. He previously served as a Managing Director of CRT Capital as well as Co-Chief Operating Officer at Greenwich Capital Markets. Mr. Gruseke joined Bankwell in 2015 and holds a B.A. from Williams College and an M.S. from NYU's Stern School of Business.

Steven Brunner, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations and Risk Officer at Bankwell Financial Group, has a wealth of experience in compliance and risk management. He previously served as Global Head of Financial Crimes at Wex, Inc., and held multiple positions at Sterling National Bank, contributing to its significant asset growth. Mr. Brunner joined Bankwell in 2022 and holds a B.S. from Utica University.

Christine Chivily, Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of Bankwell Financial Group, brings over 35 years of banking and real estate finance experience. Her background includes roles such as Risk Manager at People’s United Bank and Director of Freddie Mac's New England region. Ms. Chivily joined Bankwell in 2014 and holds a BA from Mt. Holyoke College.

Ryan Hildebrand, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Bankwell Financial Group, brings extensive experience in financial innovation. He was the co-founder of business banking startup Seed, which was acquired by Cross River Bank in 2019. He has also held roles including Strategic Innovation Officer at Lincoln Savings Bank and was head of Finance and Strategy at Simple where he played a crucial role in its sale to BBVA. Ryan joined Bankwell in 2023 and holds a B.A. from Oregon State University.

Matthew McNeill, Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer at Bankwell Financial Group, brings over 20 years of commercial banking experience. His background includes roles at HSBC, Santander and Metropolitan Commercial Bank, where he was head of Commercial Lending. Mr. McNeill joined Bankwell in 2020.

Courtney E. Sacchetti is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Bankwell Financial Group. She started her career at GE Capital's Financial Management Program and brings over 18 years of diverse finance and regulatory experience from her tenure. Ms. Sacchetti joined Bankwell in 2017 and in 2023 was promoted to CFO. She holds a B.A. and MBA from Union College.