NEW ORLEANS – Liberty Bank and Trust Company announced the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors.
Joining the bank’s Board are Kim M. Boyle, David Francis and Todd O. McDonald. “All three of our newest Board members embody the spirit of community and bring talent, expertise and energy to the table,” said Alden J. McDonald, Liberty Bank president and CEO. “As the industry continues to evolve, their expertise and insights will be a tremendous asset as we continue to develop innovative services for all of our customers across the country.”
• Kim M. Boyle is a partner at Phelps Dunbar, LLP where she practices in the areas of labor and employment, civil rights, constitutional law, commercial, tort and general litigation. Her employment practice includes representing employers in employment related claims, such as retaliation and discrimination claims as well as workplace harassment. Her practice also includes the representation of public and private clients in a variety of commercial disputes, including breach of contract, business torts, misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair trade practices and class actions, as well as the representation of several governmental entities on an array of legal issues. Boyle is known for her persuasive oral argument skills in both trial and appellate courts, and for her ability to take a matter from inception through verdict at trial by jury or judge. Many of the matters Boyle handles have been resolved through trial, and she has completed many oral arguments before state and federal appellate courts. She speaks often on employment-related topics, litigation and issues of procedure, as well as ethics and professionalism issues.
Prior to joining the firm, Boyle served as Judge Pro Tempore, Division I, for the Civil District Court for Orleans Parish. She is also a former assistant professor of law at Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans.
Boyle is also very active in community organizations and initiatives, as well as local, state and national bar activities. She currently serves as chair/ president of the Amistad Research Center, as well as serving on the executive committee of Tulane University’s Board of Trustees, and on the Boards of Trustees for Dillard University and Touro Infirmary. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights under the Law. Boyle served as the first African American female president of the Louisiana State Bar Association, as well as the first African American president of the New Orleans Bar Association.
Boyle received an A.B. degree from Princeton University in 1984, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1987.
• David Francis is the executive vice president of NOLA.com/ The Times-Picayune. He has worked for NOLA Media Group and its predecessor, The Times-Picayune, for more than 22 years. During his tenure, the paper has won four Pulitzer Prizes, the first in its 178-year history, a national Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association, the national Peabody and Headliner Awards, as well as three regional Murrow Awards. His areas of responsibilities have been wide ranging covering human resources, marketing, intrastate commercial truck transportation, product distribution, 401(k) and pension plan administrator, governmental relations and various financial duties.
Francis previously served as a business planner with the Pepsi Cola Company, based in Denver, Colorado, where he developed strategic and annual operating plans for manufacturing facilities in Colorado and Utah. Before that he was the region’s manager of financial operations and services, responsible for the Rocky Mountain area’s accounting and auditing departments. Francis came to Pepsi from Deloitte & Touche, where he worked as an audit manager. He is an inactive CPA in Louisiana.
In addition to the board membership of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Foundation where he serves as secretary, he is the treasurer of the Institute of Mental Hygiene for the City of New Orleans, Board member of United Way, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, Louisiana Press Association and a member of the New Orleans Museum of Arts Director’s Council.
Francis earned his undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Business Administration at Tulane University.
• Todd O. McDonald began his career at Liberty Bank and Trust Company 14 years ago, with most of his experience concentrated in commercial lending. He now serves in the role as vice president of strategy. In this role, McDonald is responsible for uncovering, evaluating, and developing business plans for growth and performance improvement opportunities; leading high impact initiatives; and, providing overall management for special projects
initiated by the CEO and Board. McDonald is intimately involved in the company’s high-level corporate strategy decisions that ultimately affect the long-term growth and sustainability of the bank.
McDonald‘s civic activities include but are not limited to the New Orleans Industrial Development (Board member), Bureau of Governmental Research (Board member), Louisiana Workforce Investment Council (Council member), National Bankers Association (Board member), Independent Community Bankers Association/ ICBA (Committee member), Liberty’s Kitchen (Board member).
McDonald received his undergraduate degree in Business Management from Morehouse College and a Master’s in Business Administration from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
Liberty Bank, headquartered in New Orleans, was founded in 1972. Liberty has grown from an initial asset base of $2 million dollars to more than $625 million. Liberty Bank is among the top 3 largest African-American owned financial institutions with an eight state footprint in the United States.
David Francis
Todd O. McDonald
