Ponce Financial Group, Inc. Appoints New Member to the Board of Directors

NEW YORK, March 30, 2026 -- Ponce Bank, N.A. (the “Bank”) and Ponce Financial Group, Inc. (the “Company”), the Bank’s parent company, announce that effective March 26, 2026, Marlene Cintron, a member of the Bank’s Board of Directors, has been appointed to also serve as a Director of the Company.

Cintron, a lifelong Bronx resident and Puerto Rican leader, has built a distinguished career advancing economic empowerment, public service, and opportunities for historically underserved communities.

Cintron’s work spans more than three decades across public policy, economic development, finance, and government relations. Her impact has been felt nationally and locally, with a career grounded in public service and marked by barrier-breaking achievements.

Cintron began her career working for notable public officials, including serving as New York Chief of Staff to Congressman Robert Garcia, Director of Latino Affairs for Mayor David Dinkins, and Director of the New York Office of Puerto Rican Affairs for Governor Pedro Rosselló. She also served as Executive Director of the New York State Senate Puerto Rican and Latino Caucus, where she helped shape statewide policy affecting Latino communities.

Her private-sector experience includes serving as Assistant Vice President for Government Affairs at Citibank under H. Carl McCall and working as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch, where she specialized in supporting women and nonprofit leaders in achieving financial independence. She later co-founded the New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce, a pivotal institution advancing opportunities for women entrepreneurs across the region.

As President of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC), Cintron led a period of transformational growth for the borough. Under her leadership, Bronx unemployment decreased from 14 percent to under 6 percent. She spearheaded below-market-rate lending programs, launched rebranding efforts through the borough’s Office of Tourism, and expanded financial support for local and prospective businesses.

Working alongside then–Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., she helped attract more than $9 billion in private investment, resulting in over 44,000 new housing units and major commercial developments, including FreshDirect’s relocation to the Bronx, the borough’s first enclosed mall in Co-op City, and the redesign of the Bruckner Expressway to improve access to Hunts Point. During this time, she also served as a mayoral appointee to the board of the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and as a gubernatorial appointee to the Regional Economic Development Council for the downstate region.

In 2021, Cintron was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden to serve as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Region 2 Administrator, overseeing New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In that role, she championed efforts to expand small-business contracting, exporting, and access to technical assistance. Her leadership contributed to a 20 percent increase in small business growth across the region, as detailed in the SBA’s annual report. She completed her federal service in January 2025.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Cintron is recognized for a lifelong commitment to community advocacy. As a former member of the Young Lords, she has long championed civil rights, health-care access, and social equity. Today, she continues to inspire future leaders through her public speaking, mentorship, and civic engagement.

Cintron holds a law degree from Georgetown University and a master’s degree in education administration from Fordham University.

“Marlene Cintron has been a valued member of the Ponce Bank Board, and we are pleased to welcome her to the Board of Ponce Financial Group as well,” said Carlos P. Naudon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ponce Bank and Ponce Financial Group, Inc. “Her expertise in economic development, public policy, and community-focused investment will continue to strengthen our leadership at both the Bank and parent company levels.”

“It has been an honor to serve on the Board of Ponce Bank, and I am proud to expand my role to also serve as a Director of Ponce Financial Group,” said Marlene Cintron. “I look forward to continuing to support the organization’s mission and contributing to its ongoing growth and impact across the communities it serves.”

About Ponce Financial Group, Inc. 

Ponce Financial Group, Inc. is the holding company for Ponce Bank, N.A. Ponce Bank, N.A. is a Minority Depository Institution, a Community Development Financial Institution, and a certified Small Business Administration lender. Ponce Bank’s business primarily consists of taking deposits from the general public and to a lesser extent alternative funding sources and investing those funds, together with funds generated from operations and borrowings, in mortgage loans, consisting of 1-4 family residences (investor-owned and owner-occupied), multifamily residences, nonresidential properties, construction and land, and, to a lesser extent, in business and consumer loans. Ponce Bank also invests in securities, which consist of U.S. Government and federal agency securities and securities issued by government-sponsored or government-owned enterprises, as well as, mortgage-backed securities, corporate bonds and obligations, and Federal Home Loan Bank stock.