Dr. Douglas V. Austin is President and CEO of Austin Financial Services, Inc., (AFSI) a full-service, community-oriented, financial institution consulting and investment banking firm with offices in Toledo, OH and Wilmington, NC.

Dr. Austin is a nationally-known speaker and has spoken before the American Bankers Association, the Independent Community Bankers Association of America, and America's Community Bankers annual conventions, as well as over 40 ABA, ICBA and ACB state associations.  He is in demand for his educationally-oriented and humor-filled presentations and is the author of 17 books in the areas of banking and corporate conflict and over 700 published articles.

Serving as an expert witness in the areas of business and banking litigation, Dr. Austin received his legal degree and is a retired professor of finance who has testified on more then 200 occasions during the past 30 years.  Dr. Austin's educational background is a Bachelors Degree in Economics from Ohio Wesleyan University, a Masters Degree in Economics from Indiana University, and a joint Ph.D. in Economics and Business from Indiana University.  He was graduated from the University of Toledo, College of Law in 1978.  Dr. Austin has also achieved the professional designation of Chartered Financial Analyst and has served as President of the Financial Analysts Society of Toledo and the Midwest Finance Association.

While earning his graduate degrees, Dr. Austin initially taught at Indiana University and then taught for two years at the University of Michigan before becoming an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.  Dr. Austin left the Federal Reserve in 1967 to return to the academic world at Western Michigan University where he stayed until 1969 when he became Chairman of the Department of Finance at the University of Toledo.  In July 1989, Dr. Austin retired after 20 years of service with the University of Toledo, 14 of which he served as Department Chairman and 19 as a full professor.  He is currently Professor Emeritus and teaches one semester a year.

Dr. Austin has been significantly involved in church, community, and national organizations. He is currently a board member of the National Industries for the Blind, Chairman and trustee of the Toledo Society for the Blind, Inc., and national trustee emeritus of the American Foundation for the Blind as well as other charitable organizations. Dr. Austin and his wife, Gayle, reside in Toledo, Ohio.  They have raised six children and currently have sixteen grandchildren.

Craig D. Bernard is Executive Vice President of Austin Financial Services, Inc. and lead analyst in the Investment Banking area of operations for the firm.  Mr. Bernard specializes in mergers and acquisitions, de novo charters and branches, feasibility studies and stock valuations.  Mr. Bernard graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Finance and earned his MBA from the University of Toledo in 1986.  He went to work with Dr. Austin in 1984 and made the transition from the former firm to Austin Financial Service, Inc. in 1989.  Mr. Bernard is a former officer in branch operations with Bank One, Columbus, OH.  Mr. Bernard is a charter member of the International Merger and Acquisition Professionals (IMAP), a non-profit organization founded to share information concerning the acquisition and sale of middle market companies.

Mr. Bernard and his wife Marla reside in Wilmington, NC where he is the resident principal of our Southeast operations.  He is significantly involved in community and school events and is raising 3 children.

David D. Austin is vice president of sales and marketing for Austin Financial Services, Inc.  Based in the Toledo, Ohio office, Mr. Austin is the national sales manager and is also responsible for marketing, publications, financial analysis and client services.  Mr. Austin earned his degrees in History and Economics from Indiana University and joined the firm in 1996 after 8 years of other industry experience.  Mr. Austin has authored an article and presented a program before the Indiana Bankers Association, Centennial Celebration, detailing the history of banking in the State of Indiana over the past 100 years. 

A visual member of the Toledo community, Mr. Austin has been involved in raising funds for The Boys and Girls Club of America, Valentine Theatre, Toledo Society for the Blind, West Side Montessori Center as well as other charitable organizations.   Mr. Austin is presently a trustee of the Toledo Society for the Blind.  When not at work, Mr. Austin and his wife Mariann are actively raising four small children.