Al G. Gourrier, Ph.D., MBA
Hello! I'm Al
I am a community banking and finance professional with experience in community development. I have a passion for teaching, research, entrepreneurship, social equity and urban development with interest in nonprofits and community service. I am an Associate Professor and the Director of the Nonprofit Management and Social Entrepreneurship Program in The University of Baltimore's College of Public Affairs, where I've taught Public Finance and Public Management courses in the MPA and DPA programs since joining the faculty in January of 2016. Prior to my academic career, I worked in banking in Las Vegas, Nevada for 20 years where I organized and founded 1st Commerce Bank in 2006.
Al G. Gourrier, Ph.D., MBA
Associate Professor
Director of Nonprofit Management and Social Entrepreneurship
University of Baltimore
Fulbright Specialist, U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Faculty Fellow, Schaefer Center for Public Policy
EXPERIENCE
2016 - Present
Associate Professor
University of Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland
Director of the Nonprofit Management and Social Entrepreneurship Graduate Program and I teach Public Finance, Fiscal Administration, and Public Management courses in the MPA and DPA programs.
2012 - 2017
President & CEO
Financial Management Solutions, Inc.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of a financial consulting and equity holding company for the principal’s equity investments. I consulted with privately held corporate entities and public agencies on performance measurements, asset management, negotiations, and government contracting.
2005 - 2012
President, Founder, & Executive Board Member
1st Commerce Bank
North Las Vegas, Nevada
As founding and organizing President, I developed the vision and mission of the bank, applied and received regulatory approval, and subscribed/capitalized the bank. Upon opening on October 18, 2006, I ran the day-to-day operations of the bank including Lending, Operations, ALCO, Daily Investments, and all FDIC and State Audits, Board of Directors, and SEC call reporting.
2000 - 2005
Chief Credit Officer, EVP
Desert Community Bank
North Las Vegas, Nevada
As Chief Credit Officer, I managed commercial lenders, residential lenders, consumer lenders, documentation personnel, loan assistants, and support staff. I was responsible for the overall credit quality and oversaw the bank's entire loan portfolio. Additional responsibilities included Board of Directors, FDIC, and Federal Reserve reporting; audit coordination and responses; day-to-day operations; and the profitability of the bank. During my tenure, I established the bank’s credit culture, lending procedures, and underwriting criteria. Under my leadership, the bank reached its first profitable year in 2002 and nearly doubled that in 2003. I received recognition from the FDIC for turning around an under-achieving financial institution and improving its overall portfolio quality to the highest level possible (CAMEL Rating).
EDUCATION
2011 - 2015
Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2001 - 2003
Master of Business Administration
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
1993 - 1996
Bachelor of Science in Business Finance
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
1990 - 1993
Undergraduate Studies in Business Finance
Xavier University of Louisiana
COMMUNITY BANKING
I started my banking career in 1993 with PriMerit Bank, a local/regional community bank in Las Vegas, Nevada. PriMerit Bank was purchased by Norwest Bank in 1996 and later merged with Wells Fargo Bank in 2000. After the merger with Wells Fargo Bank, I moved over to Desert Community Bank as Vice President of Commercial Lending. At the time, Desert Community Bank was a new start-up de novo Bank. In 2001, I took over as Chief Credit Officer/Executive Vice President at Desert Community Bank (a position I held until November of 2005). As Chief Credit Officer and EVP of Desert Community Bank, the bank reached its initial profitability and at one point, received the highest level of CAMEL ratings provided by the FDIC.
In November of 2005, I left Desert Community Bank to venture out and organize a new state-chartered FDIC institution (de novo), 1st Commerce Bank, which opened in October 2006. I was the first African American Bank President in the State of Nevada and was one of the youngest bank presidents in the country. In 2011, after the devastating impact of the Great Recession on small community banks across the country, my board of directors and I approved a merger of 1st Commerce Bank with an affiliate institution. After a successful 20-year career, in 2012, I left banking and transitioned into academia with the purpose of sharing my knowledge and experience, conducting research, and mentoring the next generation of scholars and practitioners in the area of community and public finance.
NONPROFIT & SERVICE
NONPROFIT EXPERIENCE
2020 - Present
Upton Westside Community Development Corporation (CDC) Vice President
Executive Board Member
www.UPCcdc.org
2019 - Present
CRA Baltimore
Co-Chair
www.CRAbaltimore.com
2008 - 2012
Make A Wish of Southern Nevada - Executive Board Member
2008 - 2010
Floyd Mayweather Jr. Foundation - Executive Board Member
2007 - 2010
Nevada State Development Corporation - Advisory Board Member
COMMUNITY & ACADEMIC SERVICE
2023 - Present
University of Baltimore's College of Public Affairs (CPA) Faculty Senate President
2023 - Present
American Society for Public Administration - Financial Management Committee
2018 - Present
Urban Affairs Association - Policy Committee and Conference Planning Committee
2019 - 2023
University of Baltimore's Academic Policy Committee (Chair)
2018 - 2023
University of Maryland Medical Center Community Advisory Committee
SCHOLARSHIP & RESEARCH
Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications
Academic & Sponsored Reports
HONORS & AWARDS
2018
NASPAA Social Equity Award
2015
Distinguished Men of Nevada
2009
Southern Nevada Top 10 SBA Lender - LV Business Press
2008
Nevada Community Service Award - U.S. Small Business Administration
2007
In Business' Las Vegas Top 40 Under 40
2007
Las Vegas Young Professionals "Mover and Shaker" Award Recipient
2006
African American Hero - Las Vegas City Council
2005
Southern Nevada Top 20 SBA Lender - LV Business Press
2004
Banker of the Year - The Devante Group
1999
Service Excellence Award - Wells Fargo Bank
1998
Sales Excellent Aware - Norwest Bank
1995
National Association of Urban Bankers - Orator of the Year
SKILLS
Community Development and Financing
Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
Banking, Finance, and Community Development
Communications and Strategic Planning
Budgeting and Financial Management
Entrepreneurship and Business Management