Joseph S. Bracewell

Joseph S. Bracewell served as chairman of WashingtonFirst Bank from its inception in 2004 until its merger with Sandy Spring Bank in 2018. During his 45 years in the banking business, Mr. Bracewell has participated in the organization and management of six community banks in Texas and Washington, DC., including serving as Chairman/President/Chief Executive Officer of West University Bank, NA in Houston, which was established in 1976 and sold to Compass Bancshares, Inc. in 1998, and as Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Century National Bank in Washington, D.C., which was established in 1982 and sold to United Bankshares, Inc. in 2001. From 2002 through 2013, he was a partner in the law firm of McKee Nelson LLP and its successor firm of Bingham McCutchen LLP. In 1980, Mr. Bracewell was appointed by President Jimmy Carter as President of the Solar Energy and Energy Conservation Bank. Mr. Bracewell is a former Director and Vice Chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, and a former Director of the Independent Bankers Association of America.

Mr. Bracewell graduated from Harvard University with an AB cum laude in Applied Mathematics and holds an MBA from Stanford University, a JD summa cum laude from American University, and a Chartered Financial Analyst certificate.