Over 30 Years Investment Banking

Bill Herrell is Executive Vice President & Managing Director of Bank Director. In this role, he is responsible for leading and implementing board advisory services offered by the company. Bill joined Bank Director in July 2024. He has been advising and studying the community bank industry for more than 30 years. Originally trained as a corporate lender, his career led him to advisory work in the banking industry. Bill’s extensive background ranges from advising on private and public capital raises to structured products and all sizes of mergers and acquisitions. He spearheaded a southeast US advisory team for D.A. Davidson that quickly climbed the M&A league tables. Prior to that, he served as Principal and Co-Founder of The Burke Group, LLC, and was a Managing Director in the Financial Institutions Group banking practice at Morgan Keegan & Co., which was acquired by Raymond James. He has also held positions at FSI Capital, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., and Bank of America, formerly known as NationsBank.

Bill has served as an instructor for the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) in Washington, D.C., and as an expert witness on securities matters to the banking industry. He is also a frequent speaker at banking industry conferences on mergers and acquisitions and private capital raising. Bill currently serves as a member of the Banking and Financial Services Program Advisory Committee at Eastern Kentucky University and as a board member for profit entities. He has held his Series 7, 24 and 63. Bill holds a master’s degree in finance from Boston College and a bachelor’s degree in finance and insurance from Eastern Kentucky University.

Sal Inserra is a seasoned audit and advisory professional with over 35 years of experience in public accounting, specializing in the financial services industry and public companies. As a retired Partner from Crowe LLP, one of the largest public accounting, consulting, and technology firms in the United States, Sal led complex audit engagements for major financial institutions and provided strategic counsel on regulatory compliance and risk management.

Throughout his career, Sal has developed deep expertise in auditing practices, particularly in areas critical to the banking sector. He has extensive experience with SEC reporting, internal controls and regulatory compliance for both public and private financial institutions. Sal’s insights on emerging auditing trends and regulatory changes have made him a sought-after speaker at industry conferences and seminars.

With his strategic mindset, deep industry knowledge, and commitment to innovation, Sal is well-positioned to provide valuable insights to boards navigating the complex landscape of financial reporting, risk management, and regulatory compliance. He looks to leverage his expertise to help organizations strengthen their governance practices and drive long-term value for stakeholders.

Sal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the City University of New York. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in New York and a member of the AICPA.

Over 20 Years in Banking

Michelle King is President of Bank Director and FinXTech. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the strategy and financial performance of the company. Michelle joined Bank Director in 2011. She is focused on leading the company’s business development, bank services efforts, marketing, public relations and branding. This includes efforts to reach senior bank executives and board members along with corporate clients and prospective clients. In addition, she frequently meets with CEOs, chairs of the board, c-level executives and members of the board to provide services and support to these officers and directors. Michelle is a member of the Bank Director board and serves on the Executive Committee.

Michelle started her career in 1988 with a small community bank
in Franklin, TN. During her tenure with the bank, she was a part of five acquisitions – the final acquisition led to her position at Bank of America in their marketing department for the state of Tennessee. A graduate of the Southeastern Consumer Banking School, Michelle spent much of her career working in the consumer banking division, holding roles in consumer lending and retail banking, and in the bank’s, Bank-at-Work department.

Over 35 Years in Corporate & Business Law

Jim McAlpin has over thirty five years of experience in advising leaders of financial institutions and boards of directors on strategic, regulatory and corporate governance matters. His corporate governance expertise is based on decades of being in boardrooms to assist clients with mergers and acquisitions, capital and debt issuances, strategic planning and succession planning. Jim has a deep understanding of the duties, responsibilities and fiduciary obligations of directors and an ability to explain these duties in “plain English.” A passion for Jim at this stage his career is helping good boards become great boards through a process of learning, engagement and intentional choices.

Jim currently serves on the board of Bank Director. He also serves on the boards of two mid-sized banks. He is a nationally recognized speaker at financial industry conferences and contributes regularly to publications on bank and corporate governance related topics. He is also often quoted in banking industry publications.

Jim served as Chairman of Powell Goldstein LLP from March 2004 until its combination with Bryan Cave LLP in January 2009. He subsequently served on the Executive Committee of Bryan Cave until October 2014.

Jim was the leader of the firm’s Banking Practice Group from 2011 until 2022. He received a J.D. from the University of Alabama in 1984, where he was an editor on the Alabama Law Review, and graduated, cum laude, from the University of Alabama in 1981 with a B.S. in Business Administration.

Over 40 years in Board Governance

Jack Milligan is the Editor-At-Large of Bank Director magazine, a position to which he brings over 40 years of experience in financial journalism organizations. Jack contributes to Bank Director’s editorial coverage and leads its director training efforts. In 2022, Jack developed Bank Director’s Director Certification Program to bring much-needed governance training to bank boards.

Jack is a nationally recognized speaker at financial industry conferences. Over Jack’s tenure, he has interviewed some of the most notable bank CEOs and senior leaders in the financial industry. Jack received his master’s degree in Journalism from The Ohio State University.

Over 7 Years Analyzing Bank Board Performance

Jackie Wall is the Vice President for Bank Director. As the primary point of contact for boards participating in Bank Director’s annual membership program, she is responsible for leading new member education and training efforts. In addition, Jackie works closely with boards and CEOs on developing, analyzing and initiating Board Performance Surveys.

Prior to joining Bank Director, Jackie worked as an Account Manager at Chatter Buzz Media, a digital marketing agency in Orlando, Florida. Jackie received her bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication from Millersville University.