Before this, Paul had a 23-year career at Fifth Third Bancorp, where he served most recently as Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Officer and Secretary. Paul created a sophisticated corporate legal function to keep pace with significant growth including ever-expanding geographically diverse operations. As the function developed, he was asked to assume additional and varied responsibilities, including developing further in-house legal expertise in areas such as regulatory compliance, negotiation of mergers and acquisitions, management of community affairs, development of a government relations function and eventually assuming responsibility for management of human resources, merger and acquisition integration and strategic planning.

As a member of Fifth Third’s Executive Management group, Paul attended all Board of Director and Committee meeting as advisor and counsel. He also served as the point of contact and organization’s representative with state and federal regulators and other external constituents including significant community representation. Before serving as Chief Risk Officer, Paul also served as Chief Legal Officer and Chief Administrative Officer at Fifth Third.

Paul has served as Co-Chair of the Governor’s panel on Financial Institutions for the State of Ohio and on the Board of the Ohio Banker’s League, where he served as Chairman. He has spoken at various trade conferences and educational programs on legal matters and risk management in finance. He holds a B.S. in Management from Northern Kentucky University and a J.D. from University of Kentucky School of Law.