Meet Dr. Cholawsky, American Riviera Bank Board Member and Community Champion

Blog May 23, 2023 by American Riviera Bank

Dr. Elizabeth Cholawsky joined American Riviera Bank as a board member in 2019. Dr. Cholawsky earned her PhD in Political Science with a focus on Econometrics from the University of Minnesota, as well as a BA (Phi Beta Kappa, cum laude) from Franklin & Marshall College. Currently, she serves as CEO of HG Insights, a provider of software that interprets and leverages data to help clients create revenue and growth opportunities.

The company has developed the world’s most extensive and precise B2B technology customer intelligence. Dr. Cholawsky is an accomplished executive leader in the technology industry, with a track record of growing successful businesses from small start-ups to large enterprises. She has particular expertise in product innovation, client services, marketing, and public company governance. Prior to joining HG Insights, Dr. Cholawsky was the CEO of Support.com; she also held the position of General Manager at Citrix Systems.

During her time as President and CEO of Support.com, Dr. Cholawsky focused on the importance of being an upstanding public company. She emphasized maintaining consistent and timely communication with employees, shareholders, and the public. She prioritized the cadence of reporting on key results, financial reporting, and quarterly earnings calls. As Dr. Cholawsky transitioned from a public company to the private sector, she made a commitment that she would carry these principles with her and integrate them as a fundamental part of her future roles. 

At American Riviera Bank, Dr. Cholawsky and her fellow directors consistently strive to engage in initiatives that make meaningful impact, whether through reporting and company communications or through the dedication of time and resources to community outreach.

In addition to her professional pursuits, Dr. Cholawsky demonstrates her dedication to improving the local community by volunteering at local organizations, particularly those that aim to improve our educational system. Her involvement includes serving on the board of Partners in Education, a well-established non-profit that aims to empower students and equip them for the future through business, school, and community collaboration. Partners in Education creates and facilitates inspiring, skill-building opportunities for local students throughout their academic journey. One of the organization’s primary initiatives, Computers for Families, helps Santa Barbara County families access free computers, low-cost internet assistance, and bilingual tech support and training. Dr. Cholawsky is also an Advisor to the Santa Barbara High School Computer Science Academy, which gives students a comprehensive range of courses to prepare them for career development and college preparation in the computer science field. Through her involvement, Dr. Cholawsky helps to keep the curriculum up to date with the ever-evolving range of skills necessary in the technology world.

Dr. Cholawsky is also a longtime supporter of Exceeding Expectations, a nonprofit focused on redirecting the lives of at-risk youth through the sport of triathlon. Founded in 2001, the program supports 40-50 children at a time. Events include year-round races and triathlons in the Southern California area, team training sessions, an annual Swimathon/Runathon, and more. Exceeding Expectations focuses on education and achieving goals through sports discipline. Their promise is that when Exceeding Expectation kids get into college, money will not be an obstacle. The charity has helped dozens of kids achieve a college education which would have otherwise been out of reach. Exceeding Expectations expands the horizons of the children and supports their individual interests by providing music lessons, supporting their performances, and escorting them to concerts, shows and exhibits. The primary goal of the organization is to provide education, which is instrumental in changing their lives.

Dr. Cholawsky dedicated over 200 hours in 2022 to these organizations. Her role as a board member for Partners in Education involves a monthly commitment of board related activities and meetings. Through her devotion to this responsibility, she stays up to date on the organization’s progress and actively contributes to strategic planning, which ultimately leads to informed decisions that benefit the organization, its members, and the community it serves.

Dr. Cholawsky has been a supporter of Exceeding Expectations since its inception in 2001. She has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the organization, consistently volunteering in some capacity each year. Whenever possible, she travels to San Bernardino, where the organization is based, to lend hands-on assistance. In addition, Dr. Cholawsky offers informal support to Women in STEM, a non-profit organization based in Santa Barbara. To aid the organization, members of her company, HG Insights, serve as mentors to women in the program. The HG Insights office is made available to host meetings for the organization, and the staff at HG Insights volunteer their time and knowledge as speakers for events held by Women in STEM.

This year, Dr. Cholawsky has been named Executive of the Year by the South Coast Business and Technology Awards, which honor individuals and companies who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to ensuring the economic vitality of Santa Barbara County’s South Coast. She was also recently honored as one of the 2023 Top 50 Women in Business by Pacific Coast Business Times, along with American Riviera Bank Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Joanne Funari. The honorees include 50 of the region’s top women leaders in a number of private employer sectors, such as finance, professional services, CRE, healthcare, technology and nonprofit organizations.

At American Riviera Bank, community outreach and engagement are of utmost importance. Our Board of Directors, including Dr. Cholawsky, reflects the bank’s commitment to integrity and working together for the benefit of our entire community.