James A. Dowd
James A. Dowd

James A. Dowd, CPA, presently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank. Mr. Dowd joined Pathfinder Bank in 1994, as Controller and has since held many prominent roles within the organization. In 1999, he was promoted to Chief Financial Officer followed by Chief Operating Officer in 2017. Most recently, Mr. Dowd held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He has played a significant role in the physical expansion of the Bank into Onondaga County, overall deposit growth, and the Bank’s increased brand recognition and enhanced reputation in its new markets.

Justin Bigham headshot
Justin Bigham
Justin Bigham, CPA, joins Pathfinder Bank as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Pathfinder Bancorp with over 25 years of experience in the financial industry. Prior to serving Pathfinder Bank, Mr. Bigham has served in several key roles at various large public companies including his most recent position as Executive Vice President and Chief Community Banking Officer at Five Star Bank.

Mr. Bigham holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from St. Bonaventure University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Robert Butkowski
Robert Butkowski
Robert Butkowski, serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Pathfinder Bank. Since joining Pathfinder Bank in 2010, Mr. Butkowski has held several different titles including Assistant Vice President, Branch Manager for Pathfinder Bank’s Cicero Branch and Vice President of Branch Administration, a position he held until his promotion to Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 2023.

Mr. Butkowski holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Management Science from SUNY Cortland and has significant experience in developing investment and commercial business.
Joe McManus headshot
Joe McManus
Chief Information Officer

Joe McManus is the Chief Information Officer at Pathfinder Bank, where he has been instrumental in advancing technology and information systems since joining in 2008. Before this role, he served as First Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. Prior to his time at Pathfinder Bank, McManus worked as Senior Network Technician at Oswego County National Bank and Senior Information Systems Architect at PCC Information Services. He holds a BA in Information and Computer Science from SUNY Oswego and is a Leadership Oswego County graduate.

With his extensive experience and expertise, McManus plays a vital role in driving innovation at Pathfinder Bank.

William D. O'Brien
William D. O'Brien

Will O’Brien, has been employed by the Bank since 1999. During his tenure Mr. O’Brien has held various positions in the Bank including branch manager and commercial lender. Mr. O’Brien most recently served as First Vice President of Credit Administration and was appointed as Senior Vice President Chief Risk Officer and Corporate Secretary effective January 27, 2020. Mr. O’Brien is responsible for overseeing the Enterprise Risk Management program as well as Loss Mitigation, Compliance, BSA/AML, and Security functions.

Joseph Serbun headshot
Joseph Serbun
Senior Vice President, Chief Credit Officer

Serbun joined Pathfinder Bank in 2023 as Special Assets Manager, bringing with him over 40 years of banking experience. Before retiring in September 2022 as President of Retail Banking at Community Bank, he held several key senior management positions, including Chief Credit Officer, Chief Banking Officer, and President of Retail Banking. His deep understanding of our markets and extensive expertise make him a valuable addition to the team.

Serbun holds a BA in Economics from SUNY Oneonta and has been actively involved in the community, serving on boards and volunteering for various local organizations.