Forbright, Inc. and Forbright Bank announced three new executives who will oversee the finance and communications departments as the Bank continues to accelerate the transition to a sustainable and clean energy economy.


Aaron Juda, currently Chief Strategy Officer of Forbright Bank, has been promoted to the role of Chief Financial Officer of Forbright, Inc. Pat Rusnak joins Forbright Bank as Chief Financial Officer. And Ben Wakana joins Forbright Bank as Director of Communications.

“We’re building a full-service bank with an unprecedented commitment to decarbonization, and these three highly talented individuals will help us continue to execute our strategic vision,” said Don Cole, Chief Executive Officer of Forbright Bank. “Having this caliber of experienced talent joining the leadership demonstrates that Forbright is a sought-after place to bank and work.”

Juda has been promoted to the role of Chief Financial Officer of Forbright, Inc. while continuing as the Chief Strategy Officer of Forbright Bank. Juda has been instrumental in Forbright’s most important strategic initiatives including a substantial capital raise, an inaugural green bond issuance, and the enhancement of Forbright’s sustainable finance initiatives. Prior to Forbright, Juda was an investment banker at Barclays where he advised financial institutions on mergers and acquisitions and capital raising activities and a management consultant at Accenture Strategy.

Rusnak joins the organization as Chief Financial Officer of Forbright Bank. He brings more than 20 years of financial management experience. Most recently, he served as the Chief Financial Officer of PacWest Bancorp from 2015-2020. There, he was responsible for all financial functions at the $30 billion bank holding company with nationwide specialized commercial lending operations and a California community banking depository franchise.

Wakana joins Forbright Bank as Director of Communications where he will lead communications, branding, and marketing. He joins Forbright from the White House where he served as Deputy Director for Strategic Communications on the COVID Response Team. He has spent over a decade leading communications teams in the Executive Branch, on Capitol Hill, and at a health care advocacy organization he helped launch.