Investor Relations

Board of Directors

Kathryn Sawyer Gutenkunst
DIRECTOR

Kathryn Sawyer Gutenkunst, age 62, is an attorney and equity partner at Axley Brynelson. Ms. Gutenkunst concentrates her practice on civil litigation, family law, municipal law, and law related to land use and development, real estate and eminent domain. Ms. Gutenkunst’s knowledge of real estate law and local land use regulations provides the board with valuable business acumen and knowledge of the real estate market in our market area. Ms. Gutenkunst is past president of Waukesha County Bar and past secretary of Ausblick ski hill.

Jose A. Olivieri
DIRECTOR

José A. Olivieri, age 67, is a Senior Partner of the Milwaukee office of the full-service law firm Michael Best & Friedrich LLP. He is a past Managing Partner of the Milwaukee office. Mr. Olivieri’s practice includes representing management in employment-related matters and business immigration law. He is also the leader of the firm’s Higher Education Practice and served as Chair of Michael Best’s Labor and Employment Relations Practice Group from 2007 to 2015. Outside of his legal practice, Mr. Olivieri has served in a variety of leadership positions for local organizations. Mr. Olivieri received his J.D. from Marquette University Law School in 1981. Mr. Olivieri’s legal experience and his business contacts in our market area provide the board with legal expertise and business acumen as well as business development opportunities.

Michael J. Pjevach
DIRECTOR

Michael J. Pjevach, age 61, is retired and resides in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Mr. Pjevach spent 34 years in the passenger transportation business, holding the Senior Vice President-West Region position at Coach USA, Inc. when he retired. Mr. Pjevach holds a B.B.A. from University of Wisconsin – Madison with a major in accounting. He is a certified public accountant and started his career at Arthur Andersen & Company. Mr. Pjevach has over 37 years of general business administration and corporate and financial experience. Mr. Pjevach has served on many community boards. Mr. Pjevach previously served on the City of Pewaukee Public Works Committee, Waukesha County Business Alliance board, Potawatomi Area Boy Scout Council golf committee, Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce board, Waukesha, Education Foundation board, Waukesha County Action Network board, Waukesha County Economic Development Corporation board, Healthy Families of Waukesha County board, and United Cerebral Palsy of Southeastern Wisconsin board. Mr. Pjevach is past chairman of the board of directors of the Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce and Waukesha Education Foundation. Mr. Pjevach is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants. This experience provides the board with financial sophistication and general business acumen.Mr. Pjevach has served on many community boards. Mr. Pjevach previously served on the City of Pewaukee Public Works Committee, Waukesha County Business Alliance board, Potawatomi Area Boy Scout Council golf committee, Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce board, Waukesha, Education Foundation board, Waukesha County Action Network board, Waukesha County Economic Development Corporation board, Healthy Families of Waukesha County board, and United Cerebral Palsy of Southeastern Wisconsin board. Mr. Pjevach is past chairman of the board of directors of the Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce and Waukesha Education Foundation. Mr. Pjevach is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Edward H. Schaefer
PRESIDENT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AND DIRECTOR

Edward H. Schaefer, age 62, is President and Chief Executive Officer of FFBW, Inc. and First Federal Bank of Wisconsin, positions he has held since July 2016. Prior to these appointments, from 2010 until 2016, Mr. Schaefer served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Community Federal NA, a national bank headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and its publicly traded holding company, Citizens Community Bancorp, Mr. Schaefer has over 30 years of banking experience, including managerial as well as all aspects of credit administration and underwriting. In addition to his extensive banking experience, during his career, Mr. Schaefer served for seven years as President and Chief Executive Officer of Huntsinger Farms, Inc., and its subsidiary Silver Spring Foods, Inc., Eau Claire, Wisconsin, one the world’s largest grower and processors of horseradish and horseradish related products. Mr. Schaefer’s broad business, banking, and managerial experience, including his knowledge of commercial and consumer banking, provides the board with a perspective on the day-to-day operations of First Federal Bank of Wisconsin and assists the board in assessing the trends and developments in the financial institutions industry on a local and national basis.

Christine A. Specht
DIRECTOR

Christine A. Specht, age 50, is the Chief Executive Officer of Cousins Subs, a sub sandwich chain headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, a role she has held since January 2019. Prior to this, from 2015 until 2019, in addition to Chief Executive Officer, she also held the role of President of Cousins Subs. Ms. Specht first began her career at Cousins Subs in 2001 as the Human Resources Manager. In 2008, she became the President and Chief Operating Officer, and in 2015 assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer. In her current role as Chief Executive Officer, she remains the visionary for the brand focused on continuing a strong culture throughout Cousins’ system and leading growth and business strategy. Ms. Specht serves in leadership positions for a variety of local organizations. In 2021, Specht received the CHART (Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers) Commitment to People Award and in 2022, was honored as one of Wisconsin’s Most Influential Business Leaders by BizTimes. Ms. Specht’s experience as a business owner brings vision and business growth strategy to the board.

JoAnne Anton
DIRECTOR

JoAnne Anton, age 54, is President and Chief Executive Officer of Herb Kohl Philanthropies where she works to honor the life and legacy of former U.S. Senator and businessman Herb Kohl. She guides the direction and strategies for the foundation’s philanthropic goals, investments, and community involvement. Prior to her current position, she spent over two decades working in various roles for federal, state, and local elected leaders while also assisting her husband in the operations of several local businesses. Her leadership was tapped to serve as Director of the Transition team for Governor Tony Evers and in the Milwaukee Bucks’ efforts toward a new downtown arena and sale of the team. Ms. Anton serves on the boards of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, Harbor District Inc., UW-Madison LaFollette School of Public Affairs, Wisconsin State Fair Park Foundation, Milwaukee World Festival Inc, and is a past president of the Rotary Club of Milwaukee and member of Professional Dimensions. Ms. Anton’s position, business and philanthropic experience, her knowledge of the region, and her contacts with community leaders provides the board with insight to the many growth efforts being made in our market area.

DeVona Wright Cottrell
DIRECTOR, SECRETARY

DeVona Wright Cottrell, age 50, is Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of GMR Marketing overseeing the agency’s and broader network Omnicom Experiential Group’s legal, compliance and risk management teams, positions she has held since August 2020. Prior to these appointments, from 2015 until August 2020, Ms. Wright Cottrell served as Director and Associate General Counsel of Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated. She joined Baird in 2007 and has broad exposure to Baird’s businesses and primary legal responsibility for Baird’s Fixed Income Capital Markets business unit and provided legal support to several of the firm’s corporate resource groups, including Risk Management, Compliance and Facilities regarding information security, privacy, regulatory, and commercial real estate related matters. Ms. Wright Cottrell is a diligent volunteer and mentor in the greater Milwaukee-area community and serves on numerous local boards and committees throughout the city, including board member of Tempo Milwaukee, Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County (UWGMWC) and 2024 Capital Campaign Co-Chair of UWGMWC, Marquette University High School, and Milwaukee Women, Inc (MWi) steering committee. Ms. Wright Cottrell has received numerous awards and recognitions, including most recently, The 2024 Wisconsin Titan 100 Award, The 2023 Consero General Counsel Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion Award, The Milwaukee Business Journal 2021 Women of Influence Award, TEMPO Milwaukee 2020 Mentor Award and many others. Ms. Wright Cottrell is also recognized by The Milwaukee Business Journal as a 2023 and 2024 Power Broker. Ms. Wright Cottrell’s legal experience and her contacts in our market area provide the board with legal and compliance expertise and business acumen as well as business development opportunities.

James P. Lenahan
DIRECTOR

James P. Lenahan, age 66, is a corporate executive with more than 25 years of experience building and running successful companies. He is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of the following businesses: Ludman Industries LLC, a manufacturer and provider of heavy equipment to the mining, food, wastewater, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries, headquartered in Milwaukee, a position he has held since 2011; Northern Engineering and Manufacturing, a provider of machining for customers in the Midwest, headquartered in Milwaukee, a position he has held since 2012; Keystone Riverview LLC, a land development and building construction company, headquartered in Milwaukee, a position he has held since 2015; and partial owner of Keystone Stack Equipment LLC, the largest provider and rebuilder of aftermarket lifts for the construction industry, headquartered in Milwaukee, a position he has held since 2017. He received the Vatican John Paul II Award from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 2017, and is a Former Navigator, President, and Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, among many other board positions for various organizations in the Milwaukee area. Mr. Lenahan’s extensive experience as a business owner provides the board with an important perspective on managerial oversight and business development.

Executive Officers

Edward H. Schaefer
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Edward H. Schaefer, age 61, is president and chief executive officer of FFBW, Inc. and First Federal Bank of Wisconsin, positions he has held since July 2016. Prior to these appointments, from 2010 until 2016, Mr. Schaefer served as president and chief executive officer of Citizens Community Federal NA, a national bank headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and its publicly traded holding company, Citizens Community Bancorp, Mr. Schaefer has over 27 years of banking experience, including managerial as well as all aspects of credit administration and underwriting. In addition to his extensive banking experience, during his career Mr. Schaefer served for seven years as president and chief executive officer of Huntsinger Farms, Inc., and its subsidiary Silver Spring Foods, Inc., Eau Claire, Wisconsin, one the world’s largest grower and processors of horseradish and horseradish related products. Mr. Schaefer’s broad business, banking, and managerial experience, including his knowledge of commercial and residential lending, provides the board with a perspective on the day-to-day operations of First Federal Bank of Wisconsin and assists the board in assessing the trends and developments in the financial institutions industry on a local and national basis.

Steven L. Wierschem
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Steven L. Wierschem, age 44, is Chief Financial Officer of FFBW, Inc. and First Federal Bank of Wisconsin, positions he has held since August 2020. Prior to these appointments, since January 2007, Mr. Wierschem had been employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) in positions of increasing responsibility in the audit practice, most recently, having served as a Director in PwC’s Milwaukee, Wisconsin office and previously in PwC’s London and Washington D.C. offices. Mr. Wierschem holds a B.B.A. and M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and is a certified public accountant, licensed in Wisconsin.