Community Financial System, Inc. Appoints Brenda M. Hall as New Independent Director
February 11, 2026 — Syracuse, NY — Community Financial System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) announced today the appointment of Brenda M. Hall to its Board of Directors as a new independent director, effective as of March 1, 2026. Ms. Hall is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Standard Lines at Selective Insurance Group, Inc. (“Selective”), where she built a distinguished 24-year career marked by progressive advancement and increasing leadership responsibilities.
During her tenure at Selective, Ms. Hall most recently served as Chief Operating Officer from October 2019 until her retirement in January 2026. In this role, she oversaw the company’s largest business segment, leading the development and execution of growth strategies, expansion into new geographic markets, enhancement of data-driven operations, and integration of predictive modeling into underwriting processes. Prior to her role as COO, Ms. Hall held several senior leadership positions at Selective, including Senior Vice President, Chief Strategic Operations Officer, and Senior Vice President, Director of Field Underwriting.
Ms. Hall brings to the Board extensive C-suite level experience in the property and casualty insurance industry, with expertise in enterprise strategy, public company oversight, risk management, customer service, and regulatory compliance. The Board has determined that Ms. Hall qualifies as an independent director under New York Stock Exchange and Board standards. With her appointment, the Board now consists of 14 directors, 13 of whom are independent. Ms. Hall also joined the Board of Directors of Community Bank, N.A., the Company’s banking subsidiary, and will serve on the Risk Committee of the Company and the Bank.
“We are pleased to welcome Brenda M. Hall as a new independent director to the Board of the Company and the Bank,” said Eric E. Stickels, Chair of the Board. “Brenda’s deep expertise in the insurance industry and her extensive C-suite leadership experience will be invaluable as we continue to expand and enhance our insurance services businesses. Her appointment underscores our ongoing commitment to enhancing the Board’s depth and expertise to provide effective oversight of the Company and its subsidiaries.”
Dimitar A. Karaivanov, President and Chief Executive Officer, added, “Brenda’s established track record at Selective demonstrates her ability to successfully lead and grow complex insurance operations. Her experience and reputation will be instrumental as we expand and enhance our insurance and financial services to provide sustainable and diversified revenue streams.”
About Community Financial System, Inc.
Community Financial System, Inc. is a diversified financial services company that is focused on four main business lines – banking services, employee benefit services, insurance services and wealth management services. Its banking subsidiary, Community Bank, N.A., is among the country’s 100 largest banking institutions with over $17 billion in assets and operates approximately 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, Western Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. The Company’s Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc. subsidiary is a leading provider of employee benefits administration, trust services, collective investment fund administration, and actuarial consulting services to customers on a national scale. The Company’s OneGroup NY, Inc. subsidiary is a top 68 U.S. insurance agency. The Company also offers comprehensive financial planning, trust administration and wealth management services through its Nottingham Financial Group operating unit. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Company’s stock trades under the symbol CBU. For more information about the Company and each of its four main business lines visit https://communityfinancialsystem.com.