May 3, 2013, Manchester, NH: The law firm of McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton Professional Association, with offices in Manchester, Portsmouth, and Concord, New Hampshire, as well as Woburn, Massachusetts, is pleased to announce that Cathleen A. Schmidt, former president and Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Bank of New Hampshire and Vermont, will join the firm as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer.
Cathy spent over five years as President and CEO at Citizens, where she was responsible for overseeing the success of 108 branches and 1,200 employees in New Hampshire and Vermont. Prior to that, she worked as the Executive Vice President and Retail Banking Director for Citizens Bank in Massachusetts. She is well respected by business leaders, clients and colleagues with whom she personally dealt.
In addition to bringing a wealth of experience with management and leadership of a large organization, she is a tireless champion for the betterment of the community.
“Cathy steps up and gets involved in important issues that affect the quality of life for so many in our community,” said Dick Samuels, McLane’s managing director. “In conjunction with her exceptional business acumen, this kind of civic-mindedness makes her a perfect fit for our firm.”
Cathy has served on the Boards of the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association, the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, the Manchester Economic Development Corporation, and the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts. She currently serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Granite United Way Board of Directors and is a Trustee of Neighborworks Southern New Hampshire, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing New Hampshire citizens with access to quality housing services, revitalizing neighborhoods, and supporting opportunities for personal empowerment. She is also on the Advisory Board of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics and Board of Overseers for Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
As executive director, Cathy will be responsible for overseeing the operational, financial, marketing and human resource functions of the firm, and work closely with the firm’s management team on day to day operations and strategic planning. Cathy takes the reins as Executive Director from Mike McCluskey, former president and CEO -NH for Verizon Communications, who announced that he would be stepping down after a fourteen year tenure this spring. Under his direction, the firm grew to employ 90 attorneys practicing in four offices in two states.
“I am honored and thrilled to assume the responsibilities as Executive Director at McLane. This is a firm dedicated to delivering excellence to clients with a deeply held commitment to community. I look forward to joining the team to build on past successes and chart the course for future growth,” said Cathy.
A resident of Bedford, New Hampshire, Cathy holds a B.S.in economics and psychology from Boston College.
Beginning July 8th, she can be reached at McLane’s Manchester, New Hampshire office at (603) 625-6464 or by email at cathy.schmidt@mclane.com.
About the McLane Law Firm
Founded in 1919, McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton Professional Association is the largest full-service law firm in the state of New Hampshire, with offices in Manchester, Concord and Portsmouth as well as Woburn, Massachusetts. Driven by the firm’s depth of sophisticated legal expertise and an unwavering commitment to client service, McLane has built collaborative and lasting relationships with a broad spectrum of domestic and international clients. www.mclane.com