Klimowich John

About Klimowich John

John Klimowich serves as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer of Columbia Financial, Inc., the parent company of Columbia Bank. Publicly available company information shows that he joined Columbia Bank in 1985 as a Junior Accountant and advanced through a series of accounting and finance leadership roles, including Senior Accountant, Accounting Manager, Assistant Controller, and Senior Vice President, Controller. He was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer in 2013, underscoring a long internal career path and a deep institutional knowledge base built over decades. His professional background suggests strong expertise in accounting, internal controls, financial oversight, and enterprise risk management, all of which are central to the governance and prudential supervision of a publicly traded banking organization. Rather than a career defined by frequent moves across institutions, Klimowich’s profile reflects continuity, progression, and operational depth within one financial group. In his current role, he would be expected to help oversee the company’s risk framework, control environment, and related governance processes, which are especially important in the U.S. banking sector and for a listed company subject to market and regulatory scrutiny. Public sources also indicate that he has maintained community and professional involvement outside his executive duties. He serves on the Board of Directors of Fair Lawn’s All-Sports Program and volunteers as a coordinator with Fair Lawn’s Youth Baseball Program. Previously, he served on the National Financial Institutions Accounting Council, as a National Board Member of the Financial Manager’s Society, and as Past President of the New York/New Jersey chapter of that organization. Academically, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from William Paterson University and an MBA in Accounting from Seton Hall University. Overall, Klimowich’s profile is that of a seasoned banking executive with long-tenured internal experience, risk and accounting expertise, and governance-oriented leadership within Columbia Financial.