Gregory M. Smolen, J.D.
Senior Vice President, Manager
Trust & Wealth Department
Current Role
As Senior Vice President and Manager of the Trust & Wealth Department, Gregory M. Smolen manages trust administration, investment management, and asset custody at Chain Bridge Bank, N.A. He chairs the Bank’s Trust Administration and Investment Committee.
Previous Experience
Before joining Chain Bridge Bank, N.A., Mr. Smolen led TCV Trust & Wealth Management’s Northern Virginia office for over five years, managing client relationships and trust administration. He previously held advisory roles at Merrill Edge and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.
Educational Background
Mr. Smolen holds a J.D. from the Antonin Scalia School of Law at George Mason University and a B.A. from the University of Chicago.
Professional Associations
Mr. Smolen serves as a co-chair of the Wills, Trusts & Estates section of the Fairfax Bar Association and is a Board Member of the Northern Virginia Estate Planning Council. Additionally, he is licensed to practice law in Virginia, D.C., and before the Supreme Court.
Contact Information
Email or (703) 748-7395.
Jennifer A. Crane, J.D.
Vice President & Director of Fiduciary Strategy
Trust & Wealth Department
Current Role
Jennifer A. Crane serves as Vice President & Director of Fiduciary Strategy in the Trust & Wealth Department at Chain Bridge Bank, N.A. She collaborates with clients, their professional advisors, and the Bank’s fiduciary team on the administration and oversight of trusts and estates, and participates in client and professional education initiatives on fiduciary and estate-planning topics.
Previous Experience
Before joining Chain Bridge Bank, N.A., Ms. Crane developed extensive experience in private legal practice focused on estate planning, special needs and elder law, and fiduciary administration, most recently with Odin Feldman & Pittleman, P.C. Her background includes work with individuals, families, fiduciaries, and closely held businesses on complex trust and estate matters and related fiduciary considerations.
Educational Background
Ms. Crane earned her bachelor’s degree in theology, magna cum laude, from Mount St. Mary’s University and her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law. She holds the Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®) designation from the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils.
Professional Associations
Ms. Crane teaches at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School and Wayne State University Law School, where her courses address trusts and estates, law and harm, and health law. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Journal and is a member of the Special Needs Alliance. She is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Contact Information
Email or (571) 899-6650.
Elizabeth Parks, J.D.
Vice President, Trust Officer
Trust & Wealth Department
Current Role
Elizabeth Parks serves as a Trust Officer for the Trust & Wealth Department at Chain Bridge Bank, N.A. She specializes in estate planning, including high net worth estate planning, business succession planning, and special needs planning.
Previous Experience
Before joining the Bank, Ms. Parks worked as an attorney at Creative Planning Legal PLLC and at The Geller Law Group. She also served as a staff attorney from the Fairfax County Commissioner of Accounts and completed legal internships in family law and juvenile court settings.
Educational Background
Ms. Parks earned her law degree cum laude from George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia School of Law, where she was an Associate Editor of the George Mason Law Review. She earned a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Hollins University and her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College, where she graduated cum laude.
Professional Associations
Ms. Parks is admitted to the Virginia State Bar and is a member of the Virginia Association of Elder Law Attorneys and the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys.
Contact Information
Email or (703) 748-3434.
MMMelissa R. Mercurio, CTFA, CISP
Vice President, Senior Trust Officer
Trust & Wealth Department
Current Role
Melissa R. Mercurio, CTFA, CISP, serves as Vice President, Senior Trust Officer in the Trust & Wealth Department at Chain Bridge Bank, N.A. She supports trust account administration, client service, and fiduciary operations. Her work includes coordination with clients, professional advisors, portfolio managers, and internal teams on fiduciary account administration and related client service matters.
Previous Experience
Before joining Chain Bridge Bank, N.A., Ms. Mercurio served as a Private Client Relationship Advisor at Brown Advisory, where she worked with private client relationships involving trusts, foundations, retirement accounts, and other complex entities. She previously served as Senior Trust Officer and Vice President at Chevy Chase Trust Company, where she administered complex trust and fiduciary accounts. Her responsibilities included discretionary distribution review, governing-document review, IRA administration, required minimum distribution calculations, inherited IRA distribution matters, tax reporting coordination, and charitable giving administration.
Educational Background
Ms. Mercurio earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics-Economics from the University of California, San Diego. She holds the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) and Certified IRA Services Professional (CISP) certifications from the American Bankers Association.
Contact Information
Email or (703) 748-3433.
Paul S. Berryman, CFP, MBA
Vice President, Wealth Advisor
Trust & Wealth Department
Current Role
Paul S. Berryman serves as a Wealth Advisor for the Trust & Wealth Department at Chain Bridge Bank, N.A. He develops and implements wealth management strategies that emphasize diversification, asset allocation, cost efficiency, and a long-term perspective. Mr. Berryman works with clients to develop personalized asset allocation strategies, taking into account their financial goals, risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and tax implications.
Previous Experience
Prior to joining Chain Bridge Bank, N.A., Mr. Berryman served as a Financial Consultant Partner at Charles Schwab, where he was the Lead Planner for an advisor with over $2.2 billion in assets under management. He also held the position of AVP, Financial Solutions Advisor at Merrill Lynch, advising high-net-worth clients on various aspects of financial planning.
Educational Background
Mr. Berryman holds an M.B.A. and a B.S. in Business Management with a minor in Finance from Salisbury University. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional.
Contact Information
Email or (703)-748-3455
RARandy L. Adams, CFA, CPA, MBA
Investment Officer, Chain Bridge Bank, N.A.
Current Role
Randy L. Adams is the Bank’s Investment Officer, primarily overseeing the Bank’s internal portfolio of fixed income securities. Although not a formal member of the Trust & Wealth Department, he plays a key role in investment decision-making and serves as a voting member on the Trust Administration and Investment Committee (TAIC).
Previous Experience
Before joining Chain Bridge Bank, N.A., Mr. Adams managed portfolios for endowments, foundations, and high-net-worth individuals at Morgan Stanley and the Northern Trust Company. He also honed his skills in asset and risk management at Firstar Corporation.
Educational Background
Mr. Adams holds a B.B.A. degree in Finance from the University of Iowa and an M.B.A. in Accounting and Marketing from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Professional Associations
Mr. Adams is a member of the CFA Institute, CFA Chicago Society, and the Illinois CPA Society. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designations.
Teaching Experience
Since 2001, Mr. Adams has been an Adjunct Lecturer of Finance at the University of Illinois at Chicago, teaching a range of graduate-level courses including Investments, Money & Banking, Theory & Structure of the Financial Markets, Introduction to Corporate Finance, and Advanced Corporate Finance.
Richard T. Dunbar
Vice President, Operations Manager
Trust & Wealth Department
Current Role
Richard T. Dunbar is responsible for overseeing operational functions within the Trust & Wealth Department at Chain Bridge Bank, N.A. He serves as a liaison between Trust & Wealth operations and administration, facilitating efficient account management. Richard also participates as a voting member on the Bank’s Trust Administration and Investment Committee.
Previous Experience
Before joining Chain Bridge Bank, N.A., Richard gained 23 years of experience at Riggs Bank, N.A., and its successor, PNC Bank, N.A. Most recently, he served as a Fiduciary Client Solutions Specialist at PNC Private Bank Hawthorn®, a multi-family office. There, he worked closely with Senior Fiduciary Advisors on complex accounts and ensured compliance with legal and fiduciary regulations. Prior roles at Riggs Bank, N.A. included Administrative Manager of International Private Banking and Client Service Representative.
Educational Background
Richard holds a B.S. degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Contact Information
Email or (703) 748-3438.
Nini G. Cox
Assistant Vice President
Trust Client Associate
Trust & Wealth Department
Nini Cox is responsible for providing operational and administrative assistance in fiduciary services such as trust administration and investment management.
Before her role in the Trust & Wealth Department, Ms. Cox served clients in the Banking Office. There, her duties included account opening, account servicing and managing client relationships.
LHLauren S. Harris
Assistant Vice President
Trust Client Associate
Trust & Wealth Department
Lauren S. Harris is responsible for providing operational and administrative support in trust administration and estate settlement at Chain Bridge Bank, N.A. Her duties include document preparation, probate administration, and client service coordination.
Before joining Chain Bridge Bank, N.A., Ms. Harris worked as a Senior Paralegal in the Trusts & Estates Group at Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, P.C., where she supported trust and estate administration and planning matters and managed court filings for probate, guardianship, and conservatorship cases. From 2012 to 2024, she served as Senior Paralegal and Office Manager at Miorini Law PLLC, providing paralegal support for over 50 client matters involving estate planning, probate, and fiduciary administration.
