Nashville’s burgeoning bank names new chief executive
Sonata Bank is a virtual newcomer in the competitive Nashville market and will turn to a new CEO to maintain its steep growth trajectory.
Fast-growing Sonata Bank has named a new chief executive officer.
The Brentwood, Tennessee-based bank said Monday that Wendell Bontrager has been named Sonata’s’s new CEO, succeeding its founding CEO Dan Dellinger, who is retiring.
Bontrager formerly served as Sonata Bank’s President and Chief Lending Officer and has more than 30 years of commercial banking experience.
“Wendell has been an effective leader within the company since its inception and has supported Dan and me in driving meaningful growth for Sonata Bank. The board is confident that Wendell’s strategic vision and entrepreneurial spirit will strengthen the foundation we’ve built and propel the bank into its next chapter of innovation and progressive leadership,” said board chairman Farzin Ferdowsi in a press release.
Recently recognized as Nashville’s fastest-growing bank in terms of deposits by the FDIC, Sonata has grown from $40.3 million of assets at the end of 2022 to $218.3 million at the end of last year, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data.
The company also saw a 124% increase in commercial and industrial loans from 2023 to 2024.
Sonata is a digital-first financial services company serving business and personal banking customers in the Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky markets, as well as quick-service restaurant franchisees and their employees nationwide.
In 1997, Dellinger and Ferdowsi launched Brentwood-based Premier Bank, which is now known as BancorpSouth. The two execs teamed up again in 2005 to form Reliant Bank, which is now branded United Community Bank.
Sonata Bank lost $4.4 million in 2024 after taking a loss of $6.2 million the year before, according to S&P Global data.
“Dan and I co-founded Sonata Bank with a shared passion for banking and a commitment to improving the lives of our customers, shareholders and associates. Dan has been instrumental in building Sonata Bank to its strong position of success, and the board is deeply grateful for his leadership and service.”
– Farzin Ferdowsi
Board Chairman
Sonata Bank