Merino-Topley Promoted to SVP, Chief Compliance Officer at Kearny Bank

On Jan 30, 2026

Silvia Merino-Topley has been promoted to the position of senior vice president and chief compliance officer at Kearny Bank. In this role, Merino-Topley will continue managing the company’s overall compliance program, reporting on compliance issues, evaluating related risk, advising leadership, and serving as the primary liaison with regulators.

Merino-Topley, who’s based at Kearny Bank’s Fairfield corporate office, joined the company in 2020 as 2nd vice president and senior compliance officer. In 2022, she was promoted to the position of 1st vice president, with oversight of the bank’s compliance program.

“Management of client risk requires significant attention to detail, along with a knowledge and skills that are developed only through experience,” says Michael Valente, 1st senior vice president and chief risk officer. “Silvia’s promotion reflects her expertise and leadership in a demanding field, plus work that consistently benefits our clients and our company.”

Merino-Topley holds a bachelor’s degree in international business and marketing from Montclair State University and has earned American Banking Association certificates in Lending Compliance, Deposit Compliance, and BSA/AML Compliance. She serves as co-chair of the NJBankers Compliance & CRA Committee and is a member both of the NJBankers’ Banking on Women Planning Committee and the New Jersey Committee of the Financial Women’s Association of New York.

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