Community West Bancshares , the parent company of Community West Bank, has announced the planned retirement of founding Board member Daniel N. Cunningham, marking the close of an extraordinary 46-year chapter in the Company’s history. Cunningham will retire upon completion of his current term on May 20, 2026, after decades of service that helped shape the organization from its earliest days.
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In recognition of his lasting impact, the Board has unanimously appointed Cunningham as Director Emeritus, effective upon his retirement. This honor, bestowed on only a handful of individuals since the Company’s founding in 1979, ensures that Cunningham will continue to provide insight, guidance, and institutional knowledge to both the Company and the Bank in an advisory capacity.
For more than four and a half decades, Cunningham has been a steady presence and influential leader on the Board, helping guide the Company’s growth while keeping employees, clients, and communities at the center of every decision. His leadership roles over the years reflect his deep commitment, including serving as Chairman of the Board from 1998 to 2015, Lead Independent Director from 2015 to 2019, and Vice Chairman from 2019 to 2024. Throughout his tenure, he served on every Board committee, supported major strategic milestones, and helped steer the Company through periods of industry transformation and economic change.
Daniel J. Doyle, Chairman of the Board, described Cunningham’s retirement as the culmination of a legacy that has defined Community West Bancshares since its inception. He emphasized that Cunningham’s thoughtful leadership, financial expertise, humility, and unwavering commitment played a critical role in building the strong, relationship-driven culture that continues to define the organization today. Doyle added that the Board is grateful Cunningham will remain involved as Director Emeritus and continue advocating for the Company’s employees, clients, and communities.
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Beyond his contributions to Community West, Cunningham built a distinguished career in public accounting and served as Chief Financial Officer of the Quinn Company, a leading Caterpillar dealer serving Central and Southern California. His broad expertise across finance, accounting, agribusiness, and large-scale operations brought valuable perspective and depth to the Board’s decision-making.
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James J. Kim, CEO of Community West Bancshares and President and CEO of Community West Bank, highlighted Cunningham’s influence across every chapter of the Company’s history. He noted that Cunningham provided guidance to all four Presidents and CEOs since the Company’s founding, offering calm, insightful leadership through economic cycles, regulatory change, and periods of challenge. Kim described Cunningham’s quiet strength, integrity, and genuine care for people as a defining force behind the Company’s values and culture—one that will continue to shape Community West well into the future.
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