Ascendia Bank's new commercial lending and information security leaders join management to strengthen lending and technology.
Hawthorne, NJ, September 11, 2025
Ascendia Bank has appointed two senior executives to strengthen commercial lending and information security. Jonathan Jacobs will lead commercial lending, overseeing underwriting, construction loans, loan approvals and a team of lenders and analysts, drawing on more than 20 years of industry experience. Paul Skinner joins as senior vice president and chief information security officer to manage IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, system integrations and disaster recovery, bringing over four decades of technology leadership. These hires support the bank’s regional expansion, align credit growth with secure systems and complement ongoing leadership succession and digital banking investments.
Ascendia Bank, based in Glen Rock, New Jersey, has added two senior leaders to its executive team to bolster commercial lending and information security. Jonathan Jacobs joined as vice president / commercial lending manager, and Paul Skinner stepped into the role of senior vice president / chief information security officer. These hires are part of a larger effort to expand the bank’s capabilities in business lending and modernize its technology systems ahead of upcoming leadership transitions and continued growth.
Jonathan Jacobs will oversee all commercial lending operations, including underwriting and evaluating commercial real estate applications, preparing loan approval memoranda, and managing ongoing commercial credit relationships with particular attention to construction loans. He will lead a team that includes Commercial Loan Administrators, Commercial Credit Analysts, and Commercial Loan Processors.
Paul Skinner will manage the bank’s information systems, technology infrastructure, and data processing operations. His responsibilities cover IT and IS policy development, system design and programming, network and database management, cybersecurity measures, disaster recovery planning, and initiatives that support customer-facing digital services.
Jonathan Jacobs brings more than two decades of experience in commercial lending and credit analysis. His prior roles include serving as assistant vice president portfolio manager at a regional bank where he oversaw loan portfolios in excess of $90 million, and positions as a commercial lender and account manager at a regional credit union. Earlier in his career he held progressively senior roles at other community banks. He holds a B.S. in Finance.
Paul Skinner brings over 40 years of technology and operations leadership in banking. His résumé includes leading core banking system conversions, driving infrastructure upgrades, launching advanced digital and mobile platforms, guiding teams through complex integrations, strengthening cybersecurity protocols, and developing disaster recovery plans. He has a long record of improving operational efficiency while maintaining compliance with industry standards.
The appointments arrive as the bank positions itself for continued expansion beyond its original local market. The institution rebranded to Ascendia Bank from its former name to reflect a broader service area and a more modern identity. The rebrand is not linked to any change in ownership and did not affect staff levels. The bank has invested in digital products such as internet banking, online bill pay, and a mobile app, along with expanded commercial real estate lending.
Leadership changes at the top are also underway. A new president and chief executive officer is scheduled to start in late August 2025 while the outgoing leader will remain in advisory and board roles through a transition period. These executive moves, along with the hires in lending and technology, are intended to support the bank’s goals for customer service, risk management, and growth.
Ascendia traces its roots to 1922 and later operated under a long-standing local name before adopting the Ascendia brand. The bank operates multiple full-service branches in New Jersey and serves personal and business customers with deposits, mortgages, home equity products, and commercial lending for multifamily and mixed-use properties. Reported asset figures and branch counts have varied across reporting moments; recent information listed total assets approaching the mid-hundreds of millions and between four and five branch locations, reflecting growth and timing differences in published figures. The bank lists its website as www.AscendiaBank.com.
The new hires aim to deliver concrete outcomes: faster and more consistent commercial loan processing, stronger oversight of construction and real estate credits, modernized core systems and mobile services, and tighter cybersecurity and recovery planning. The combined lending and IT investments should help the bank support a wider range of business customers while safeguarding systems and customer data.
Both executives are already in place and are expected to begin implementing changes in their respective areas immediately. Watch for updates from the bank about product rollouts, technology enhancements, and any additional leadership announcements as the institution advances its regional strategy.
Jonathan Jacobs was hired as vice president / commercial lending manager to run commercial lending operations. Paul Skinner joined as senior vice president / chief information security officer to lead information systems and cybersecurity.
The commercial lending manager will handle underwriting and evaluation of commercial real estate loans, prepare loan approval materials, manage client credit relationships, oversee construction loans, and lead a team of loan administrators, credit analysts, and processors.
The IT chief will manage technology infrastructure, system design, network and database operations, cybersecurity, disaster recovery planning, and support digital and mobile banking platforms.
The commercial lending manager brings more than 20 years of lending and credit experience, including managing portfolios above $90 million. The IT chief has more than 40 years of banking technology and operations leadership.
The bank was founded in 1922, later used a local name for many years, and rebranded to Ascendia Bank to reflect a wider regional presence. The rebrand did not involve changes in ownership or staff.
The bank maintains a public website at www.AscendiaBank.com where product and branch information is available.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| New hires | Jonathan Jacobs — VP/Commercial Lending Manager; Paul Skinner — SVP/CISO |
| Primary responsibilities | Commercial lending operations; technology, cybersecurity, and systems infrastructure |
| Experience | Jacobs: 20+ years in lending. Skinner: 40+ years in banking IT and operations. |
| Notable past roles | Jacobs managed >$90M loan portfolios; Skinner led core conversions and digital platform launches |
| Bank history | Founded in 1922; later used a local name; rebranded to Ascendia Bank to reflect regional growth |
| Products & services | Personal and business banking, mortgages, home equity, mobile and online banking, commercial real estate lending |
| Website | www.AscendiaBank.com |
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