John A. Kanas is the former Chairman, President, and CEO of BankUnited, Inc., a leading banking institution that focuses on commercial and retail banking services. He has a solid background in finance, earning a B.A. in Economics from the University...

John A. Kanas is the former Chairman, President, and CEO of BankUnited, Inc., a leading banking institution that focuses on commercial and retail banking services. He has a solid background in finance, earning a B.A. in Economics from the University of Massachusetts. Before leading BankUnited, Kanas was the President and CEO of North Fork Bancorporation, which he steered through a successful growth period until its acquisition by Capital One in 2006. He stepped down as CEO of BankUnited in December 2016 but remained connected as Chairman until 2018. During his tenure, he was known for his strategic decisions that increased loans and deposits for the bank, aligning employee compensation with company performance. Kanas has received recognition over the years, being named one of the best regional bank CEOs by "Institutional Investor" in 2005. He has also contributed to various community and educational boards, including as a trustee of Weill Cornell Medical College. Kanas's leadership helped BankUnited establish a strong foothold in the banking sector, making it a significant player in the industry.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other BankUnited CEOs

B

John A. Kanas

Founder and Ex-CEO of BankUnited

Education

B.A. in Economics from the University of Massachusetts

Field of Expertise

Finance & Banking - Finance

Sector of Economy

Financial Services

Born

July 1, 1951 - 73 years ago

CEO of BankUnited for

7 years 7 months (May 2009 - Dec 2016)

Previous Experience

Former President and CEO of North Fork Bank, CEO of FleetBoston Financial Corporation

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of John A. Kanas

C

Chang M. Liu

CEO of Cathay General Bancorp

2023 Compensation

Stock

$5.13M

Salary

$920.00K

Bonus

$784.60K

Other

$16.50K

Total Holdings

$137.68K

S

George A. Makris, Jr.

CEO of Simmons First National

2022 Compensation

Stock

$2.30M

Salary

$887.62K

Bonus

$40.21K

Other

$146.36K

Total Holdings

$26.21M

H

Joseph S. Exnicios

CEO of Hancock Whitney Corporation

2023 Compensation

Stock

$265.86K

Salary

$553.84K

Bonus

$383.43K

Other

$67.08K

Total Holdings

$2.37M

A

H. Palmer Proctor, Jr.

CEO of Ameris Bancorp

2023 Compensation

Stock

$1.90M

Salary

$925.00K

Bonus

$1.44M

Other

$98.20K

Total Holdings

$28.94M

H

John M. Hairston

CEO of Hancock Whitney Corporation

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.17M

Bonus

$1.29M

Other

$529.57K

Total Holdings

$13.85M

Holdings

See how much did John A. Kanas make over time.

During his career, John A. Kanas owned a significant number of shares in BankUnited, which peaked at over 3.5 million shares, representing about 3.4% of the company. His holdings fluctuated significantly, especially during critical company events. As of March 2016,...

During his career, John A. Kanas owned a significant number of shares in BankUnited, which peaked at over 3.5 million shares, representing about 3.4% of the company. His holdings fluctuated significantly, especially during critical company events. As of March 2016, his holdings included 29,836 restricted shares and 2.2 million shares that were exercisable options. Kanas's wealth was closely tied to the performance of BankUnited, reflecting his strong belief in the company’s growth strategy. This connection to the bank was not just financial; it also underscored his commitment to achieving positive results for shareholders throughout his leadership years. His net worth tied to these holdings was substantially influenced by market performance and corporate decisions made during his time as CEO, demonstrating how executive compensation is closely linked to company success.

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Total Stock Sold

$177.61M

BKU

$177.61M

5,400,575 BKU shares

What if they kept their stock?

If John A. Kanas didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra BKU5,400,575 shares worth $104.83M.
This is -40.98% and $72.78M less than what they got when they sold the stock.

Charitable Transactions

BKU

3,875,914 shares

BKU

Recent Charitable Transactions

BKU

59,823 shares

BKU

Dec 31, 2018

Charity

BKU

564,076 shares

BKU

Dec 31, 2017

Charity

BKU

600,000 shares

BKU

Dec 31, 2016

Charity

BKU

81,650 shares

BKU

Dec 31, 2015

Charity

BKU

62,680 shares

BKU

Dec 31, 2014

Charity

BKU

1,246,440 shares

BKU

Dec 31, 2013

Charity

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of John A. Kanas.

BKU

1,000 shares

BKU

May 23, 2018

Received

BKU

59,823 shares

BKU

Dec 31, 2018

Charity

BKU

$2.59M

BKU at $33.18/share

Aug 23, 2017

Sale

BKU

$6.67M

BKU at $33.35/share

Jul 24, 2017

Sale

BKU

564,076 shares

BKU

Dec 31, 2017

Charity

BKU

564,076 shares

BKU

Dec 31, 2017

Charity

BKU

$6.53M

BKU at $32.65/share

Jun 23, 2017

Sale

BKU

$6.78M

BKU at $33.92/share

May 23, 2017

Sale

BKU

1,000 shares

BKU

May 16, 2017

Received

BKU

$851.18K

BKU at $39.03/share

Mar 15, 2017

Sale

Compensation History

See how much did John A. Kanas make over time.

Kanas's compensation reflected his role in driving BankUnited's success. In 2016, he earned nearly $5.2 million, which included a salary of $1.3 million and a substantial portion from vested stock worth over $1.5 million. His compensation structure included provisions that aligned his pay with the bank's performance, focusing on metrics like loan growth and profitability. Notably, he did not receive any bonuses in 2016, indicating that his pay was closely tied to achieving specific operational performance targets. Over the years, his compensation varied significantly, peaking at over $7.5 million in 2012, showing how his earnings were linked to his ability to lead the bank effectively during critical periods of growth. Kanas's approach to compensation was designed to retain talent while ensuring that pay reflected performance accurately, emphasizing the importance of aligning executive interests with those of shareholders.

Year

2016

Total Compensation

$3.12M

Salary

$1.30M

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy is designed to retain talent and align pay with performance of the Company.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

No bonus was awarded for 2016.

Other

$299.74K

Board Justification

Includes contributions to 401(k) plan, automobile allowance, driver allowance, and personal use of the Company's aircraft.

Restricted Stock

$1.52M(40.29K RSU)

Board Justification

40,285 RSUs granted on February 11, 2016, with one-third vesting on December 31, 2016, and the remainder vesting in equal installments on December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2018.

Performance Metrics

Performance metrics for 2016 included relative growth in loans, deposits, operating net income, and ratios of non-performing assets.

Other BankUnited CEOs

Here are other CEOs of BankUnited

Rajinder P. Singh

Founder and CEO of BankUnited

January 2017 - Present