Columbus, Ohio, United States, May 2026 — Northwest Bank announced that Chad Ballard has joined the company as Chief Information Officer, effective May 18, 2026. Reporting directly to the company’s President and CEO Louis Torchio, and a member of the executive leadership team, Ballard will lead the bank’s information technology strategy and operations.
In this role, Ballard is responsible for advancing technology initiatives that support Northwest’s business priorities, strengthen operational efficiency, and enhance the experience for customers and associates across the bank’s footprint.
Ballard brings more than 25 years of technology leadership experience. He most recently served as CIO for Shared Services Operations at Wells Fargo. While there he developed a Know Your Customer (KYC) platform and deployed AI agents to enhance operational efficiency. He has also held leadership roles at JP Morgan Chase and PNC, leading core banking, digital channels, and AI platform transformations.
“Chad brings deep experience in technology leadership and a strong understanding of how technology supports growth, innovation and risk management in financial services,” said Louis Torchio, President and CEO, Northwest Bank. “His leadership will be instrumental as we continue to invest in systems and capabilities that support our ongoing transformation and growth.”
“I’m looking forward to working with the team at Northwest Bank to enhance the technology foundation that supports our customers, associates and communities,” said Chad Ballard, Chief Information Officer, Northwest Bank. “Technology plays a critical role in how a bank operates every day. I’m excited to help advance secure, scalable initiatives to support the bank’s current momentum and meet our customers’ current and future needs.”
Ballard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in management from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He will be based in Columbus, Ohio and will work closely with teams across Northwest Bank to modernize technology platforms and support continued growth.
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Northwest Bancshares, Inc. is the bank holding company of Northwest Bank. Founded in 1896, Northwest Bank is a full-service financial institution offering a complete line of business and personal banking products, as well as employee benefits and wealth management services
Currently, Northwest operates 151 full-service financial centers and 11 drive-up locations across Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Indiana. Northwest Bancshares, Inc.’s common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (“NWBI”).
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