CINCINNATI—Fifth Third Bancorp (Nasdaq: FITB) today announced the appointment of Derek J. Kerr, Barbara R. Smith and Michael G. Van de Ven to its Board of Directors, effective February 1, 2026.
"We’re pleased to welcome Derek, Barbara and Mike to our Board," said Tim Spence, chairman, CEO and president of Fifth Third. "Each Director brings a distinctive combination of leadership and industry experience that will be an invaluable asset. Their perspectives, insight and experience will help guide the new Fifth Third as we continue to deliver innovative solutions for our customers and communities."
Kerr is an experienced financial leader with broad and deep exposure to complex financial issues, bringing nearly four decades of accounting, finance and corporate governance experience in the aviation and airline industry. Most recently, he served as Vice Chair of American Airlines Group and President of American Eagle. Prior to this, Kerr served as Chief Financial Officer of American Airlines, Inc., overseeing global corporate risk, corporate development and corporate financial functions, including treasury, accounting, financial planning, labor and fleet analysis, tax, strategic planning, investor relations and purchasing. Earlier in his career, he served as Chief Financial Officer for US Airways and America West Airlines. Kerr served on Comerica’s Board of Directors since 2023. He currently serves as a board member for AECOM and Standard Aero. He will serve on the Bancorp’s Audit Committee and Technology Committee.
Smith brings to the Board a number of key skills, including executive business leadership, strong management experience and significant financial expertise. Most recently, Smith served as Chairman, President and CEO for Commercial Metals Company (CMC), a Fortune 500 metals company, from September 2017 until her retirement in 2023. Following her retirement, she served for one year as Executive Chairman of the Board of CMC. She joined CMC in 2011 as Chief Financial Officer and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2016 and then Chief Executive Officer in 2017. Earlier in her career, Smith served as Chief Financial Officer for Gerdau Ameristeel and FARO Technologies and held a variety of leadership positions with Alcoa, Inc. Smith served on Comerica’s Board of Directors since 2017, including as the Board’s Independent Facilitating Director. She currently serves as a board member for D.R. Horton. Smith will serve on the Bancorp’s Audit Committee and Human Capital and Compensation Committee.
Van de Ven is a seasoned executive with a strong background in operations, risk management and a deep understanding of financial planning and accounting. Since January 2023, he has served as an Executive Advisor at Southwest Airlines Co. Prior to this role he served as President and Chief Operating Officer. Van de Ven spent more than 30 years of his career at Southwest, holding various positions and responsibilities for the airline, including financial planning and analysis, fleet planning, aircraft operations and schedule planning. He also served as senior audit manager for Ernst & Young LLP and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. Van de Ven served on Comerica’s Board of Directors since 2016, including chairing the Governance, Compensation and Nominating Committee. He also joined the Board of Directors of Keurig Dr Pepper in April 2025, and chairs their Audit and Finance Committee. He will serve on the Bancorp’s Risk and Compliance Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
With these appointments, the size of Fifth Third’s Board increases to 16 directors.