John Chalekian serves as Chief Credit Officer of First Electronic Bank and brings nearly 25 years of experience at the intersection of analytics, data science, and consumer credit risk. He is an entrepreneurial analytics executive with deep expertise in predictive modeling, portfolio valuation, and risk strategy across financial services and fintech environments.
Prior to joining First Electronic Bank, John spent nearly 15 years at Encore Capital Group, where he served as Vice President of Credit Risk and Research. In that role, he led teams of statisticians and data scientists, guided portfolio valuation efforts, and supported the profitable deployment of more than $3.5 billion across domestic and international markets. He also co-founded Jump Start Finance, a fintech company focused on improving access to affordable, high-quality childcare.
John has also held academic and research roles, including serving as a lead statistician at UC San Diego on NSF and NIH-funded research and as adjunct faculty at San Diego State University, where he was named Adjunct Teacher of the Year. He currently serves on advisory boards for fintech companies and is recognized for his ability to translate advanced analytics into practical business outcomes.
