Michael Serao
Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer | CRA Officer | Chair, Deposit Pricing Committee | Member, FCSB IT Committee
Michael Serao’s approach to community banking centers on a straightforward idea: people need to feel a genuine connection to their bank, its staff, and their community. Throughout his career, he has kept this personal touch at the center of First Central Savings Bank’s (FCSB) identity. He pushes the bank’s mission of “banking the way it used to be, only better” by matching the personal, handshake-driven relationships of banking’s golden days with lightning-fast modern tech. As a senior executive, one of his main goals is to build a workplace where employees have the exact support and tools they need to take care of customers.
Before joining FCSB, Michael sharpened his leadership style at Commerce Bank, J.P. Morgan Chase, and Quontic Bank—roles where he learned to balance fast-paced modern banking with old-school customer service. Today, as FCSB’s Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, and CRA Officer, he runs day-to-day operations, system upgrades, and internal culture. In practice, this means he keeps the core tech infrastructure bulletproof and the digital platforms delivering, ensuring physical branch traffic moves quickly and client service remains entirely friction-free. That hands-on focus paid off when he expanded branches into Huntington and Lynbrook, while navigating the launch of their brand-new branch in the Florida market. Sitting at the head of the Deposit Pricing Committee and working on the IT Committee, Michael keeps a strict boundary: tech shouldn’t replace people. To him, tech is just a tool to make banking easier; the people are what make the bank successful.
Serao is also deeply involved in statewide banking industry leadership. He serves on the Advisory Board of the New York League of Independent Bankers and on the Government Relations Committee of the New York Bankers Association. His past experience includes work with NYBA’s CEO Roundtable and the Leadership 360 program, as well as presenting at the Future Branches Conference in Austin, Texas. These roles keep him plugged into policy trends and regulatory shifts so he can bring those insights straight back to FCSB and give community banks a stronger voice. On a daily basis, his professional expertise spans both retail personal and business banking, lending, and specialty areas like cannabis banking, merchant services, residual-based lending, and strategic CRA engagement.
His commitment to local causes has been constant for over twenty years. Michael volunteers his time as the Executive Board Treasurer and HR Committee Chair for Quality Services for the Autism Community (QSAC), supporting programs and services that create opportunities for individuals on the spectrum. As an Advisory Board Member with SHAREing & CAREing, he helps fundraise so the nonprofit organization can offer free cancer education, prevention, and patient outreach to anyone who walks through the door, regardless of insurance status.
Beyond banking, he maintains hands-on involvement in the nonprofit sector by serving on four other community boards. He also advocates for local education, animal welfare, environmental protection, and special needs resources.
His corporate leadership and civic dedication have earned wide recognition across the business and public sectors. Michael has been featured in Fortune Business Review as ‘The 10 Most Inspiring Leaders in Business, 2024’ and Art Bodega Magazine’s ‘Champions of Hope’, and has received numerous awards from city, state, and federal elected officials for his contributions to the community. His honors also include spots on the Long Island Press Power List, the East End Impact Awards, The A List New York, and King of New York—distinctions that underscore his deep commitment to public service and community progress.
