Board of Directors

Carole F. Hoover

Chairperson, Board of Directors

Carole F. Hoover serves as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Cleveland Private Trust Company, providing strategic leadership and governance oversight that supports the Company’s long-term vision, fiduciary excellence, and continued growth. A highly respected business executive with decades of leadership experience, Ms. Hoover brings extensive expertise in financial services, commercial real estate, corporate governance, and business strategy.

Since 2000, Ms. Hoover has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of HooverMilstein, a partnership with New York businessman and philanthropist Howard P. Milstein. HooverMilstein focuses on commercial real estate and financial services, identifying, developing, and growing business enterprises throughout Ohio and across the United States. Throughout her distinguished career, she has served in numerous executive and board leadership roles and she currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

As Chairperson, Ms. Hoover’s broad business acumen and governance experience help guide Cleveland Private Trust Company as it continues to strengthen its position as an independent, boutique corporate trustee and fiduciary partner serving individuals, families, advisors, and institutions. Her commitment to principled leadership, strategic growth, and long-term stewardship reinforces the Company’s mission to protect wealth, preserve legacies, and deliver an exceptional client experience. Throughout her career, she has received numerous honors recognizing her leadership, public service, and community impact, including induction into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame and multiple lifetime achievement awards.

Paul Carleton

Paul Carleton is the Founder and Managing Partner of Carleton McKenna & Company. With more than 40 years of experience in corporate and investment banking, he advises private and public companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and strategic growth initiatives. Prior to founding Carleton McKenna, Paul was Founder and Senior Managing Director of Carleton, McCreary, Holmes & Company, which was acquired by KeyCorp, and previously served as Senior Managing Director and Head of Corporate Finance at McDonald & Company.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Paul has extensive corporate governance experience, serving on more than 15 private company boards as well as numerous nonprofit and educational boards throughout Northeast Ohio. He earned his bachelor’s degree and an honorary doctorate from Baldwin Wallace University and holds an MBA from Northwestern University.

George J. Dickson, Jr.

George J. Dickson, Jr. is Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of New York Private Bank & Trust and Emigrant Bank. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Sarasota Private Trust Company and Cleveland Private Trust Company.

Mr. Dickson has been an executive officer of Emigrant Bank since 1988. He is a founder of the Capital Markets Division and the Bank’s Asset/Liability Committee, managing the fixed income investment portfolio and directing capital markets related activities. He also advises separately managed accounts for foundations, endowments, trusts, and ultra high net worth clients of the Bank’s affiliated trust companies.

For over 30 years, Mr. Dickson has been integrally involved in all of Emigrant’s key financial initiatives, ranging from debt issuance and balance sheet hedging, to the highly successful U.S. Government and municipal bond trading programs. He created and managed the NYPB&T Municipal Liquidity Fund (MF-1 LP), a special purpose hedge fund designed to capitalize on unique opportunities that arose during the financial crisis. Prior to joining Emigrant Bank, he was an Investment Strategist at Mellon PSFS Bank in Philadelphia. Mr. Dickson holds a B.S. degree from Drexel University, with a dual major in Finance and Economics, and an M.S. from the University of Pennsylvania.

John R. Hart

Mr. Hart is President and CEO of Sarasota Private Trust Company and is Vice Chairman of New York Private Bank & Trust Company. He also serves as a Director of the Board of Cleveland Private Trust Company. Mr. Hart has over 40 years of experience in the banking sector, primarily in Investments and Private Wealth Management. He is responsible for the Private Banking Division and the Capital Markets Division of Emigrant Bank which oversees investments in private equity funds, hedge funds, common stocks, municipal and corporate bonds, and other fixed income instruments. Mr. Hart also oversees New York Private Finance which provides credit to finance strategic investments for private investors. Additionally, he oversees Aperture Media Partners, a specialty finance business in the film and television industry.

In civic and philanthropic activities, Mr. Hart is a Board Member of Opportunity International, a past Chairman of the Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, the Christian Heritage School and Hope Church. He is also currently a National Advisor to Rev. Tim Keller, an American theologian, author and pastor.

Mr. Hart holds an MBA in Finance from Saint Joseph’s University and a B.A. in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University.

Eric Kaplan

Eric Kaplan has, since 2003, been a senior financial consultant with Bristol Consultants, LLC and with predecessor companies since 1985. Mr. Kaplan provides consulting services to high net worth investors and has particular expertise in real estate development and operation. Prior to joining Bristol’s predecessor companies, Mr. Kaplan worked for International Financial Group between 1983 and 1995 and later worked as a manager in the tax consulting services division of Arthur Young & Company (a predecessor of Ernst & Young) during 1980 through 1983. Mr. Kaplan is a CPA and is a member of the New York, Florida and New Jersey bars. He graduated with honors from Bernard M. Baruch College in 1978 where he received a B.B.A. He also graduated from New York Law School where he earned a J.D. in 1983 and later earned his LLM in tax in 2013.

Eric Kaplan serves on the board of the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota. In addition he is Vice Chair of the Jewish Family & Children’s’ Service (“JFCS”) of the Suncoast which is based in Sarasota, Florida. Mr. Kaplan also serves on the Board of Directors as the representative of the Louis and Gloria Milstein Flanzer Trusts.

Linda M. Olejko

Linda M. Olejko is President and CEO of Cleveland Private Trust Company, bringing over 25 years of leadership in wealth management, strategic advisory, and business development for high-net-worth families, family offices, closely held businesses, and nonprofit organizations. A Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), she is known for delivering tailored, multi-generational solutions that align wealth with purpose and legacy.

Previously, Linda served as Chief Client Strategist at a leading national firm and spent two decades at Glenmede, where she led the Northeast Ohio region and expanded assets under management from $700 million to $3.6 billion. Her expertise spans client engagement, philanthropic strategy, and guiding clients through complex transitions and liquidity events.

In addition to her executive leadership, Linda is an active civic and cultural leader in Cleveland. She serves on the boards of Apollo’s Fire and Piano Cleveland, is a member of the Advisory Board of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, and contributes to the Gift Planning Advisory Committees and Leadership Circles of both the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. She is also the founding chair of the Cleveland chapter of the Exit Planning Exchange (XPX).

Linda holds a degree in Business Management and is a frequent speaker on wealth planning, philanthropy, and business succession. Her approach centers on Business Development, Relationship Management, Estate and financial planning, Fiduciary Services, Investment Management, and Philanthropic and Governance Solutions.