Our Vision

Walmart. Bill Clinton. Chickens and tractor-trailers. That’s what comes to mind for most people when you think “Arkansas.” Most don’t know that the largest off-Wall Street investment firm is located in Arkansas. Or that Little Rock is home to global leaders in financial technology services. The number one question we get is, “Why Arkansas?” Our answer is always, “Why not?”

We’ve Got the Talent

We’re not just a fly-over state. We’re down here on the ground solving one of the most complex banking problems. Based in Little Rock and with a satellite office in Denver, Colorado, our team of legal and financial technology experts founded Abaca to unlock modern financial services for one of the largest underserved industries in America — cannabis.

Meet The Team

Dan Roda, JD, LLM

Chief Executive Officer

Attorney and CEO Dan Roda is a sought-after speaker on cannabis banking and compliance. With degrees from Tulane University, Villanova University and the University of Alabama, Dan hit the professional world as a corporate attorney. As Dan’s cannabis industry client roster grew, he noticed a consistent problem: banking. Dan has been splitting his time between Colorado and Arkansas growing Abaca to help solve the cannabis industry’s banking problem.

Greg Ellis

Chief Technology Officer

CTO Greg Ellis built the software architecture of two successful fintechs prior to Abaca, and spent two decades in banking and mortgage option trading prior to that. Greg is a bit of an anomaly — a software engineer in cowboy boots. But, don’t let his banjo-picking fool you — Greg is responsible for Abaca’s sophisticated and elegant fintech (and he built some of the office furniture, too!).

John Foley

Chief Financial Officer

John Foley spent 25 years in senior leadership and chief executive roles with community and national banks, and also co-founded a large regional insurance agency. Whether he’s in a bank boardroom or a grow-op, John stays true to his banking roots. John might not have to wear a suit and tie too often anymore, but he still wears his banker hat while heading up Abaca’s compliance and lending teams.

Brian Bauer

Chief Strategy Officer

Brian Bauer has run multiple FinTech Accelerator programs as the managing director of The Venture Center. Before all that, he was a helicopter door gunner in the U.S. Navy. Yes, it is as cool as it sounds. Now a well-known figure in the Arkansas fintech community, Brian assembled the Abaca team and drives overall strategy and direction, with a focus on customer experience. He knows that working with talented individuals and teams is a contagion that drives us to higher levels of achievement. As an added bonus, he gets shot at much less frequently in his current career.

Reed Lewallen

Director of Sales

Vince Laborde VP of Lending Abaca

Vincent Laborde

Vice President of Lending

Charlotte Dollar

Compliance Manager

Sean Russell IT Systems Specialist Abaca

Sean Russell

IT Systems Specialist

Naketa Turner

Account Specialist

Mara Williams Inside Sales Lead Abaca

Mara Williams

Inside Sales Lead