Management Team: Ken Peterson

Ken enjoyed a 32-year banking career with experience in large cap premier financial institutions, small and mid cap banking companies, in multiple business lines, in production, problem loans, credit, senior management and service on for-profit boards. His C-suite executive experience includes routine interaction with customers, senior management, a public board of directors, shareholders, regulators, rating agencies, and stock analysts.

As Chief Credit Officer of Zion’s Bancorporation, from which he retired, Ken set up the first enterprise-wide credit organization, overseeing the activities of its eight banks. He established new corporate functions in credit oversight for commercial real estate, C&I, small business & consumer, credit training, systems, policy, stress testing support, problem loans, among others. His team also authored the credit policy used by all of the corporation’s banks. Ken expanded formal communications with and was the primary corporate contact with all primary regulators (FRB, OCC, FDIC) on credit matters.

Prior to Zion Bancorporation, Ken served for 29 years and retired from Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC), filling a broad range of corporate office and wholesale banking leadership positions. He completed his career at Wells reporting to the Chief Credit and Risk Officer of WFC, responsible for corporate level credit oversight and leading the Wells Fargo’s credit policy rewrite. At the merger of Wachovia and Wells Fargo he oversaw credit for the wealth, brokerage, and retirement services businesses. His earlier career at Wells Fargo comprised production and credit management positions in commercial, real estate, workout, wholesale banking, international, insurance brokerage and correspondent banking.

Ken has served on investment firm, insurance firm and captive bank subsidiary firm boards. Prior to Wells Fargo, he worked for Hughes Aircraft Company and served eight years as a U.S. Naval Aviator. Ken earned his Bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and his Master’s in Business Administration from UCLA.