Byline Bancorp Announces Executive Leadership Appointments in Commercial Banking and Credit Risk
Byline Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BY), the parent company of Byline Bank, has announced three executive leadership appointments as part of its ongoing succession planning strategy. The appointments are designed to support leadership continuity, strengthen the bank’s commercial banking operations, and maintain its established approach to credit risk management as two senior executives prepare for retirement at the end of 2026.
Effective January 1, 2027, Sean H. McGuire will become Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Banking Officer, Scott E. Hawthorne will assume the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer, and Darrin Bacon will become Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial Banking.
The appointments coincide with the planned retirements of Brogan Ptacin, Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial Banking, and Mark Fucinato, Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer. Both executives are scheduled to retire on December 31, 2026, following a combined 25 years of service to the bank.
The leadership changes reflect Byline Bancorp’s efforts to prepare experienced internal executives for expanded responsibilities while preserving operational stability, customer relationships, and disciplined risk management. The retiring executives will continue to support the organization in part-time advisory roles following their departures from their current executive positions.
Byline Bancorp Strengthens Commercial Banking Leadership
A central element of the leadership transition is the creation of the Chief Commercial Banking Officer position, which will carry an expanded mandate across Byline Bank’s commercial banking platform. Sean H. McGuire, who currently serves as Senior Vice President and Commercial Banking Group Head, has been appointed to this newly established role.
As Chief Commercial Banking Officer, McGuire will oversee a broader commercial banking organization and assume a position on the bank’s executive leadership team. He will report directly to Alberto Paracchini, President and Chief Executive Officer of Byline Bank.
McGuire brings more than 35 years of commercial banking experience to the position. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership roles involving commercial lending, relationship management, treasury management, and client development. His experience across these areas is expected to support the bank’s commercial banking strategy and its efforts to maintain strong relationships with business customers.
The appointment also recognizes the importance of experienced leadership in managing commercial banking operations, which serve businesses with a range of lending, financing, cash management, and other banking requirements. By establishing a dedicated Chief Commercial Banking Officer role, Byline is expanding the scope of its commercial banking leadership structure.
The broader mandate will place McGuire in a position to lead the commercial banking organization while working with other senior executives to advance the bank’s business priorities. His appointment also provides a clear reporting structure for the next phase of commercial banking leadership.
Darrin Bacon Named Head of Commercial Banking
Darrin Bacon, currently a Senior Vice President and Commercial Banking Group Head, has been appointed Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial Banking. He will succeed Brogan Ptacin and report to McGuire beginning January 1, 2027.
Bacon joined Byline Bank through its acquisition of First Bank & Trust in 2018 and has served in his current leadership position since 2019. His experience within the organization provides continuity as the bank prepares for the transition to its new commercial banking leadership structure.
In his new role, Bacon will lead the commercial banking function, working within the broader organization overseen by McGuire. The appointments establish a leadership framework intended to preserve the bank’s commercial banking expertise while providing clearly defined responsibilities for its senior executives.
The transition follows several years of leadership involvement in the bank’s commercial banking operations. Bacon’s familiarity with the organization and its customers is an important element of the succession plan, particularly as the bank seeks to maintain established relationships and continue supporting businesses across its markets.
Alberto J. Paracchini, President and Chief Executive Officer of Byline Bank, expressed confidence in the appointments, highlighting McGuire’s and Bacon’s extensive experience, commercial banking knowledge, and leadership capabilities.
Paracchini also recognized Ptacin’s contributions to the bank, noting his role in developing its commercial banking franchise, maintaining a strong client focus, and supporting employees. He thanked Ptacin for his service and contributions to Byline’s growth and success.
Brogan Ptacin to Support the Transition
Ptacin joined Byline Bank in 2018 as part of the acquisition of First Bank & Trust and has served as Head of Commercial Banking since 2019. During his tenure, he helped expand the bank’s commercial banking business, deepen customer relationships, and strengthen its position in the Chicago metropolitan area.
His responsibilities included oversight of the bank’s commercial and industrial lending units, leasing business, and wealth management operations. These areas are important components of the bank’s broader commercial banking activities and its relationships with business owners and other clients.
Ptacin’s retirement marks the conclusion of a period in which he helped guide the commercial banking organization through continued business development and operational growth. His experience and institutional knowledge are expected to remain available to the bank during the leadership transition.
Following his retirement from his executive position, Ptacin will remain with Byline in a non-executive, part-time advisory capacity. This arrangement is intended to help ensure an orderly transition as responsibilities move to McGuire and Bacon under the updated leadership structure.
Reflecting on his time at the bank, Ptacin described his service as an honor and expressed pride in the accomplishments of his colleagues. He also voiced confidence in the future strength of Byline’s commercial banking business.
Scott E. Hawthorne Appointed Chief Credit Officer
Alongside the commercial banking changes, Byline Bancorp has announced a succession plan for its credit leadership function. Scott E. Hawthorne, who currently serves as Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Credit Officer, will become Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer on January 1, 2027.
Hawthorne joined Byline in 2023 as a Senior Credit Officer and has served as Deputy Chief Credit Officer since August 2026. He brings more than 20 years of banking and credit experience, including experience working with many of the commercial bankers at Byline.
As Chief Credit Officer, Hawthorne will oversee credit administration, credit underwriting, portfolio risk management, special assets, and related credit functions across the organization. He will report directly to Paracchini, President and Chief Executive Officer of Byline Bank.
The Chief Credit Officer role is central to maintaining the bank’s approach to evaluating lending opportunities, monitoring portfolio performance, and managing credit exposure. Effective credit oversight supports decisions about borrower eligibility, lending terms, underwriting standards, and the ongoing assessment of potential risks.
Hawthorne’s appointment reflects Byline’s decision to promote an executive who already has experience within its credit organization. His familiarity with the bank’s commercial banking teams and credit processes is expected to support continuity as he assumes responsibility for the function.
Paracchini welcomed Hawthorne’s appointment, citing his experience in commercial banking, credit administration, and risk management. He also recognized Hawthorne’s contribution to shaping the bank’s credit strategy.
Mark Fucinato’s Contributions to Credit Risk Management
Fucinato joined Byline in 2019 and has served as Chief Credit Officer since 2020. During his tenure, he played an important role in strengthening the bank’s credit infrastructure, portfolio management processes, and risk governance framework.
Credit risk management is an essential component of commercial banking, particularly for institutions that provide financing to businesses across different industries and economic conditions. Banks must balance lending growth with prudent underwriting, ongoing portfolio monitoring, and the ability to identify and address emerging risks.
Under Fucinato’s leadership, Byline navigated challenging economic cycles while maintaining prudent risk management practices and continuing to support customers and communities. His work helped establish the foundation that Hawthorne will inherit when he assumes the Chief Credit Officer position.
Following his retirement from the executive role, Fucinato will remain with the bank in a non-executive, part-time advisory capacity. He will work closely with Hawthorne to facilitate the transfer of responsibilities and help maintain continuity within the credit organization.
Fucinato described his time at Byline as a privilege and expressed pride in the bank’s credit culture, risk framework, and credit professionals. He also conveyed confidence that Hawthorne and the broader team would continue building on the existing foundation while supporting the bank’s long-term objectives.
Succession Planning Supports Long-Term Business Continuity
Roberto R. Herencia, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Byline Bancorp, Inc., said the planned retirements demonstrate the strength of the company’s succession planning process.
According to Herencia, the bank had anticipated the upcoming transitions and worked with both retiring executives to prepare for an orderly handover in their respective areas. He expressed gratitude for their contributions on behalf of the board of directors and confidence in the readiness of the incoming commercial banking and credit leadership teams.
The coordinated timing of the appointments allows the bank to establish its new executive structure before the beginning of 2027. By identifying successors in advance and arranging continued advisory support from the retiring executives, Byline is seeking to reduce disruption and preserve institutional knowledge.
The approach also highlights the importance of leadership continuity in banking, where customer relationships, credit decisions, regulatory responsibilities, and risk oversight require consistent management. Changes in senior leadership can affect several interconnected functions, making structured succession planning an important part of organizational governance.
The three appointments distribute responsibilities across an expanded commercial banking leadership structure and a dedicated credit leadership function. McGuire will oversee the broader commercial banking platform, Bacon will lead commercial banking, and Hawthorne will assume responsibility for credit administration and risk oversight.
Focus on Commercial Banking Growth and Disciplined Risk Management
Byline Bancorp’s leadership transition comes as the bank prepares for its next phase of operations with experienced executives taking on broader responsibilities. The changes bring together commercial banking leadership and credit risk oversight, two functions that play complementary roles in the bank’s lending activities.
Commercial banking teams work with businesses to understand financing needs, develop customer relationships, and provide lending and cash management services. Credit teams assess the associated risks, evaluate borrowers, establish underwriting standards, and monitor portfolio quality. Coordination between these functions helps banks pursue business opportunities while maintaining appropriate credit discipline.
The appointments do not, by themselves, indicate a change in Byline’s overall business strategy. Instead, they establish the leadership structure through which the bank intends to continue executing its priorities as the two senior executives retire.
With McGuire, Bacon, and Hawthorne assuming their new positions on January 1, 2027, Byline will begin the year with its planned leadership transitions in place. The continued advisory involvement of Ptacin and Fucinato is intended to support knowledge transfer and a smooth transition of responsibilities.
Through these appointments, Byline Bancorp is emphasizing executive development, continuity in customer service, and the maintenance of established credit risk practices. The bank’s succession plan positions its incoming leaders to build on the work of their predecessors while guiding commercial banking operations and credit oversight into the next stage of the organization’s development.
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