Board of Directors

W. Ward Carey

Prior to joining First Responders Financial in 2005, Mr. Carey was a Senior Vice President of Investments at PaineWebber Incorporated, and he served as President, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Tucker Anthony & RL Day. W. Ward Carey has over 40 years of senior level experience in the investment and investment banking fields.

William R. Grant

William R. Grant has over 40 years combined experience in the investment banking and risk-capital fields. Mr. Grant is co-founder and former chairman of Galen Associates, a venture capital firm in the health care industry. Mr. Grant’s experience includes 25 years with Smith Barney, where he served as President and Vice Chairman. He was also Chairman of MacKay-Shields Financial Corporation, and a former director of Ocular Sciences, Allergan, Coldwell Banker, New York Life, Witco Corporation, and Fluor Corporation.

Peter Hayden

Chief Peter E. Hayden was a 37-year member of the New York Fire Department. He was appointed to the FDNY on November 30th, 1968. Chief Hayden’s experience includes assignments in both Brooklyn and Manhattan. He was promoted to Chief of Safety in 1995 and served in this role until his assignment to the 1st Division in 1997... Read More

Dennis Smith

Dennis Smith is the founder of First Responders Financial Services LLC. In his 18 years as a New York City firefighter, he developed profound respect for the professionalism of the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and nurses with whom he worked in the more than 40 alarms his engine company responded to every day. He witnessed their willingness to give of themselves in the course of their duty. He also came to know their financial needs, which were his own needs... Read More

Sean Smith

Sean Smith has over 15 years of experience in the field of communications, and is currently a Producer at ABC’s World News with Charlie Gibson. From 1997 to 2005, Mr. Smith was a Producer at ABC’s World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, during which time he won multiple awards including 2 National News Emmy’s and 2 George Foster Peabody Awards.

Richard J. Sterne

Richard J. Sterne has over 30 years of experience in the securities industry. He is the chairman of the Board of Directors of Lightyear portfolio company Athilon Group Holdings. Mr. Sterne’s previous positions include managing director at Merrill Lynch, Chairman of Links Securities, partner at Granite Capital, and director for Kleinwort Benson Cross Financing Inc.