Professional Bios for Martha's Vineyard Bank Financial Group


Robert G. Ripley, Jr.
Senior Vice President - Financial Group Manager

Bob Ripley joined the Financial Group in May 2009 as the division manager.  He has over twenty-five years trust and asset management experience beginning his banking career at Shawmut Bank.  While at Shawmut, Bob was group Vice President heading the bank's central tax unit.  After leaving Shawmut Bank, Bob started Trust Tax Services Of America (TTSOA) and grew the company into one of the countries largest provider of trust tax compliance and software services to the trust industry.  After selling TTSOA, Bob purchased Securities Research Company (SRC), America's oldest stock charting company.  At SCR, Bob introduced new print products and a web based charting system that was rolled out to investment managers and brokers world-wide.  Since the sale of SRC, Bob has been consulting banks on how to grow their trust departments.  Bob is a graduate of Bentley College and completed graduate studies at Bryant College's MST program and Nichols College's MBA program.  Bob and his wife Sue reside in East Falmouth.

H. Paul Ryan
Vice President

H. Paul Ryan has been the Senior Trust Officer with the Trust Department since it was founded in 1991.  Paul is an experienced Trust Administrator with all aspects of portfolio management and estate and trust administration including: estate planning, retirement plans, and tax planning strategies.  Paul works closely with Vineyard families, estate planning attorneys and CPAs to develop and implement basic to sophisticated strategic financial plans for all Trust Clients.   Paul previously held the position of Vice President, Trust Manager with Berkshire Bank & Trust in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and Senior Trust Officer with Martha’s Vineyard National Bank.  Paul is a graduate of Boston College, Suffolk Law School, and holds an MBA from Western New England College.  Paul lives with his wife Patricia in Tisbury and they have three grown children.

Sarah Mayhew Shipway
Senior Trust Officer

Sarah Shipway has been with the Trust Department since 1996 and is currently a Trust Officer with Martha’s Vineyard Financial Group specializing in wealth management, estate planning, and retirement planning for Island estates, individuals and families.  Sarah graduated from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School and Clark University with a BA in International Relations and Spanish Language & Literature.  She also completed Northwestern University and American Bankers Association’s National Trust School and National Graduate Trust School.  Sarah began her career in financial services at Putnam Investments in Boston where she held Series 6 and Series 63 licenses.  Sarah holds the American Banker’s Association designation of Certified Trust & Financial Advisor (CTFA) and Certified IRA Services Professional (CISP).   Sarah currently lives in Chilmark with her husband Charlie, their daughter Kira and son Tyler.

Katherine Davey
Trust Operations Specialist

Katherine Davey has managed Trust Operations since the department was founded in 1991.   Since that time Katie has overseen and managed the various and complex areas of the day to day trust operations and executes many aspects of trust administration including trust accounting, daily trade settlement, personal and estate tax filings.  She is responsible for all trust-related compliance issues.  Katie provides all Trust clients with the highest level of customer service and provides research and response to client inquiries in a timely and efficient manner.  Prior to joining the bank, Katie had 5 years of retail banking and trust experience at Martha’s Vineyard National Bank.  Katie attended Plymouth State College and graduated from Katharine Gibbs School in Boston.  She and her husband Ken, daughter Caroline and yellow lab Bailey reside in Oak Bluffs.

Shawna Lockley
Financial Advisor

Shawna Lockley has extensive Bank Operations and Senior Customer Service expertise. Shawna came to the Bank from the Operations Department in Edgartown. While in Operations, Shawna was responsible for all electronic banking operations and the IRA Department. Since joining the Investment Group with Martha’s Vineyard Financial Group, Shawna has overseen and managed the various and complex areas of the day to day investment management operations and executes all aspects of account administration for individuals, businesses, organizations and institutions as well as handling her own investment clients. She provides all MVFG clients with the highest level of customer service and provides research and response to client inquiries in a timely and efficient manner. Shawna holds NASD Series 7, Series 66 and Life and Health Insurance licenses.  Shawna began her banking career at Cape Cod Bank & Trust and TDBanknorth as an Account Operations Manager and Customer Sales and Service Manager. Shawna lives in Sandwich with her husband Jonathan and her two sons Ryan and Adam.

Steven Ansara
Financial Advisor

Steve Ansara came to the Martha's Vineyard Financial Group from the bank's loan department in West Tisbury where he worked as a mortgage processor.  Steve graduated from The University of Massachusetts in 2005 with his B.B.A. in Finance.  After college he was self-employed in the mortgage business for 2 years in Western Massachusetts.  Steve holds his NASD Series 7 and Series 66 licenses.  Steve is able to process trades for our brokerage clients as well as provide assistance for our trust customers.  Steve currently resides in Oak Bluffs.