Leadership Shifts, Growth Ahead
Medallion Bank CEO Donald Poulton Retires; Justin Haley to Lead Growth Initiatives
Anonymous
Key Points
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Medallion Financial CEO Andrew Murstein said Poulton’s move to Chair of the Risk Committee is intended to “enhanc[e] the continued oversight of the Bank’s stellar risk management and first in class regulatory compliance framework.”
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Poulton, in the bank’s statement, said he is “pleased to be leaving Medallion Bank in highly capable hands,” adding that Justin Haley “has been instrumental in building Medallion Bank’s consumer lending platforms over the past 14 years.”
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Murstein credited Poulton’s tenure with being “marked by record profitability and asset growth,” and described the leadership lineage from “the foundational leadership of John Taggart” to Poulton.
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The incoming CEO’s background extends beyond general management: reporting says Haley helped “insourc[e] the company's information technology infrastructure” and has worked on “structuring its public preferred stock strategies,” after joining in 2011 as VP of Home Improvement Lending.
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Poulton’s post-retirement role is tied to risk credentials: the announcement notes he has “four decades of experience in credit risk and regulatory compliance,” which the board said will remain instrumental as the bank executes its growth initiatives.
Medallion Bank is getting a new CEO. Donald Poulton will retire on June 30, 2026, handing the top job to Justin Haley the following day, Quiver Quant reported. The bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Medallion Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: MFIN), holds about $2.6 billion in assets and carries an investment-grade credit rating.
Poulton is not walking away entirely. He will join the bank's board and lead its Risk Committee, bringing four decades of credit risk experience to bear as the bank pursues an ambitious plan to reach $5 billion in assets by 2031, according to GuruFocus.
Justin Haley Steps Up After 14 Years at the Bank
Haley is no newcomer. He joined Medallion Bank in 2011 as Vice President of Home Improvement Lending. Over 14 years, he worked his way up through the organization. In January 2026, the bank promoted him to President — a move now seen as the final step before the CEO role, Investing.com reported.
Poulton spoke highly of his successor. "Justin Haley has been instrumental in building Medallion Bank's consumer lending platforms over the past 14 years," Poulton said. Beyond lending, Haley helped bring the bank's information technology infrastructure in-house and worked on structuring its public preferred stock strategies, according to TipRanks.
Poulton Leaves Behind Record Profits and a Pivoted Bank
When Poulton took over, Medallion Financial was still deeply tied to New York City taxi medallion loans. That market collapsed when ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft took hold. Poulton steered the bank toward a new focus: recreational vehicles, boats, home improvement loans, and fintech partnerships.
Andrew Murstein, CEO of Medallion Financial, said Poulton's tenure was "marked by record profitability and asset growth." Murstein praised a leadership lineage stretching from "the foundational leadership of John Taggart" through Poulton and now to Haley. Keeping Poulton as Chair of the Risk Committee, Murstein said, will "enhanc[e] the continued oversight of the Bank's stellar risk management and first in class regulatory compliance framework," according to Quiver Quant.
The Road to $5 Billion Comes With Real Risks
Medallion Financial is targeting roughly 10% annual loan growth. Hitting $5 billion in assets would nearly double the bank's current size in five years. Haley's technology background is expected to drive faster loan approvals for RV and boat dealers, and expand the bank's "Banking-as-a-Service" offerings to fintech partners, according to GuruFocus.
The growth plan is not without risk. RV and boat lending is tied to consumer spending, which drops in a downturn. Racing to double assets could pressure the bank to approve weaker loans to hit volume targets. Retaining Poulton on the Risk Committee is widely seen as a signal to regulators that the bank will not cut corners on credit quality to chase size.
Shares Trade at Low Valuation Despite Dividend Growth
Medallion Financial shares trade at a price-to-earnings ratio in the mid-6 range — well below the industry average of 10 to 12. Analysts say the stock looks cheap given the bank's consistent growth. The company has raised its dividend for multiple consecutive years, offering an above-average yield for income-focused investors, according to TipRanks.
If Haley hits the $5 billion target without weakening loan quality, analysts expect the stock's valuation to climb toward the industry average. That gap between the current P/E and a more normal multiple represents a potential upside for long-term shareholders — assuming the growth plan holds together, Nasdaq noted.
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