Gretchen Claflin selected as Pacific Coast Banking School CEO

The first woman to be named CEO of a banking school

In 1938, the Foster School of Business hosted the first Pacific Coast Banking School (PCBS), a residential summer institute for banking professionals created to shore up a system severely tested during the Great Depression. Over the course of its 80-year history, PCBS has gone on to become the largest national graduate school of banking in the country with more than 11,000 alumni of the program.

Today, this partnership added another milestone as PCBS announced Foster School of Business alumna Gretchen Claflin (BA 1977) as its new CEO. Claflin becomes the first woman CEO of any banking school across the country. Claflin has served as COO of PCBS since 2013 and as president since 2016. The board of directors voted unanimously to name Claflin CEO effective April 6, 2018.

Claflin began her career working as a CPA for Ernst and Young. As an auditor, she gained experience working with banks, particularly in the special credits area.

“Gretchen’s familiarity with the operations of the school, her demonstrated leadership capabilities, her grasp of current technologies, and her financial background made her the preferred candidate,” Chairman David Bobbitt said. “Her innovation and energy will drive new initiatives that will benefit not only PCBS students and alumni, but also future generations of leaders in the banking and financial services industry.”

Claflin will replace Dave Enger, who became president and CEO of PCBS in 2001. A former bank vice president and founder of the Business & Banking Institute of Seattle, Washington, Enger was a top-ranked faculty member at PCBS for over 28 years before becoming CEO.

For more information about PCBS, visit www.ThePCBS.org.