Our Leadership
Entrepreneurial vision. Disciplined execution.
Our leaders guide an adaptive, well-governed platform that converts opportunity into durable value for clients, teammates, and shareholders.
A. Haag Sherman
Director, Chief Executive Officer and President
Chief Executive Officer — T Bank, NA
A. Haag Sherman founded Tectonic Financial and, as its principal stockholder and Chief Executive Officer, has steered the firm from startup to nationwide platform. Today Tectonic serves clients in all 50 states, oversees nearly $8 billion in assets, and finances businesses across dozens of industries. In 2025 he also became Chief Executive Officer of T Bank, N.A., the group’s largest subsidiary, further aligning lending with Tectonic’s long-term strategy.
Inside the company, Haag championed the development of Tectonic’s proprietary software engine, one reason the organization consistently ranks among the top U.S. bank holding companies for return on tangible equity. His focus on disciplined risk management and technology-driven efficiency continues to power Tectonic’s growth.
Before launching Tectonic, Haag co-founded Salient Partners, serving as both Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer. He steered the firm’s growth to $17.5 billion in assets, designed the majority of its investment strategies, and co-invented patented software that scaled their distribution.
Earlier in his career, Haag served as an executive officer and partner at The Redstone Companies, overseeing a private equity portfolio focused on financial services. He began as an auditor with Price Waterhouse and later practiced corporate law at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. A Certified Public Accountant and attorney, he has taught at the University of Texas School of Law and sits on the boards of CBIZ (NYSE: CBZ), Hilltop Holdings (NYSE: HTH), and several private companies. His civic work includes executive chairman emeritus of Episcopal High School in Bellaire, Texas; trustee of the Episcopal Health Foundation; and member of the Governing Council of the Miller Center at the University of Virginia.
A frequent commentator on finance and public policy, Haag has appeared on Bloomberg and Fox Business, and has written for Barron’s, MarketWatch, and other outlets. His book Shattering Orthodoxies: An Economic and Foreign Policy Blueprint for America (Easton Press, 2008) reached No. 6 on Amazon’s Social and Economic Policy list. He earned a B.B.A., cum laude, in Accounting and Economics from Baylor University and a J.D., with honors, from the University of Texas, and remains an active member of the State Bar of Texas.
David Clifford
President & Chief Operating Officer
David Clifford is President and Chief Operating Officer of Tectonic Financial. Since joining the company in 2018 as Chief Strategy Officer—rising to Chief Operating Officer in 2023 and President in 2025—he has been the engine behind Tectonic’s product-platform expansion. David keeps the client experience front and center while driving firm-wide gains in analytics, processes, and systems, turning big-picture strategy into measurable growth.
Earlier, David led marketing, intermediary services, and ultimately the sales and distribution platform at Salient Partners, where his initiatives helped lift client assets beyond $17.5 billion and brought alternative-investment programs to market.
He began his career with McKinsey & Company in Helsinki, advising Nordic high-tech and telecommunications clients. David earned an M.B.A. in Finance and Information Technology from the Helsinki School of Economics—graduating salutatorian—and holds a B.B.A. in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin, where he was a National Merit Scholar.
Michelle Baird
Chief Financial Officer
Michelle Baird is Chief Financial Officer of Tectonic Financial—a role she earned after joining the firm at inception as Executive Vice President of Accounting and Tax Compliance. Today she shapes financial strategy, directs capital planning, oversees reporting and audit coordination, and still manages the accounting and tax programs for Tectonic and its affiliates. Her sharp analysis and eye for detail help steer the company’s growth.
Before Tectonic, Michelle provided tax and accounting services to Cain Watters & Associates, a comprehensive financial services firm for dental practices. Having started in the Cain Watters tax department, she later founded her own management, tax, and accounting firm that continued supporting Cain Watters and its affiliates—including the newly formed Tectonic.
Earlier in her career, she served as a tax associate at a large regional public-accounting firm. Michelle holds a B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Arlington, is a Certified Public Accountant, and volunteers her expertise to the 3to1 Foundation, which teaches financial literacy to young adults.
Derek Schulz
Chief Innovation Officer
Derek Schulz is Director of Innovation at Tectonic Financial, where he sets the firm’s technology vision and oversees everything from infrastructure to new-product development. Working side-by-side with business leaders, he deploys solutions that sharpen efficiency, fortify security, and keep Tectonic positioned for the next wave of growth.
Previously, Derek spent five years as Vice President of IT & Innovation at Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union, rolling out enterprise-wide initiatives that modernized operations and member services. Earlier, he served as Chief Technology Officer at Salient Partners, charting the firm’s technology roadmap and guiding its execution.
He began his career as a web developer at Indata, building client-server applications across multiple platforms, and later held senior engineering and infrastructure roles at Sanders Morris and HealthHelp. Derek earned a B.S. in Computer Engineering Technology from the University of Houston.
Thad Hutcheson
Chief Information Officer
Thad Hutcheson is Chief Information Officer for both Tectonic Financial and T Bank. A founding force behind the holding company in 2003, he steered T Bank through its de novo launch and IPO the following year and has aligned people, process, and technology ever since.
Today Thad leads the firm’s digital roadmap—applications, data, cybersecurity, and infrastructure—supporting every client touchpoint and keeping Tectonic a step ahead of market demands.
Earlier in his career he consulted on technology projects across a range of industries. Thad studied computer science at Texas A&M University and earned a B.S. in Computer Science from The University of Texas at Dallas. He also holds several technical certifications.
Featured News and Insights
We share our perspectives on the markets and policy, as well as the latest news from the firm.
