Capital Bancorp Restructures Executive Leadership to Drive Long-Term Enterprise Expansion
Rockville, Wednesday, 31 December 2025.
Capital Bancorp (NASDAQ: CBNK) strategically bifurcates leadership, renewing Ed Barry as holding company CEO through 2027 while appointing Steve Poynot to lead the subsidiary bank. This move distinctively separates enterprise strategy from operational execution to optimize the $3.4 billion firm’s diversified growth.
Strategic Bifurcation of Executive Duties
Under the terms of the agreement announced yesterday, December 30, 2025, Ed Barry will retain his position as Chief Executive Officer of Capital Bancorp through December 2027 [1]. His mandate shifts to concentrate specifically on enterprise-level strategy and the execution of key initiatives for the holding company [1]. This delineation allows for a more focused approach to the broader corporate vision, distinguishing it from the day-to-day management of the banking subsidiary [1]. Concurrently, Steve Poynot, who has served as President and Chief Operating Officer since joining the firm in 2022, has been elevated to Chief Executive Officer of Capital Bank, N.A. [1].
Operational Leadership and Experience
Bringing over 25 years of commercial banking experience to the role, Poynot will maintain his leadership of the Commercial Bank while retaining oversight of Windsor Advantage [1]. This promotion formalizes his existing influence over the bank’s core operations and commercial business, ensuring dedicated executive attention as the parent company pursues diversification [1]. The move is designed to provide specific executive focus on the bank entity itself, separate from the holding company’s wider strategic purview [1].
A Diversified Operational Framework
The structural bifurcation reflects the complexity of Capital Bancorp’s business model, which operates primarily through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Capital Bank, N.A. [2]. The bank functions as a “branch-lite” institution with a diversified portfolio that includes Commercial Banking, Capital Bank Home Loans, and OpenSky [2]. While the Commercial Banking division targets clients in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas, the consumer business lines—Home Loans and OpenSky—leverage a national banking charter [2]. Notably, OpenSky offers digital credit card services to under-banked populations nationwide, highlighting the diverse revenue streams the new leadership structure must manage [2].
Rationale for Future Growth
Steven J. Schwartz, Chairman of the Board, emphasized that this alignment is essential for managing a “diversified financial services enterprise” [1]. The strategy aims to harvest prior investments in the commercial banking franchise while maximizing growth across other business lines [1]. As of September 30, 2025, Capital Bancorp reported total assets of $3.4 billion [1], positioning the firm to leverage this refined leadership structure for continued expansion into the 2026 fiscal year [1].