Gada Elkenani and the Human-Capital Strategy Driving Bank Turnarounds

U.S. community banks with less than $5 billion in assets face mounting regulatory, profitability and technology-upgrade pressures. Gada Elkenani has 30 years of financial-industry experience, rising from teller to managing a commercial loan portfolio of more than $1 billion. Through Building Better Banks (BBB) and Xeper Strategic Partners, which she founded, Elkenani argues that bank restructurings must first establish talent, governance and execution discipline before introducing technology.

The Fintech Times detailed BBB’s “Bridge. Build. Offload.” framework on June 2, 2026. The process begins with a review of regulatory issues and the bank’s finances, followed by a remediation timetable and phased funding. Legal teams are also brought in to address AML, KYC and consent orders. Elkenani previously rebuilt distressed markets in Trenton and Mercer County, generating nearly $1 billion in commercial business.