We Partner For Success

Find out more about our experienced group of legal and trust professionals

Caroline Horty Dickerson is the Chief Executive Officer and Treasurer of Commonwealth as well as a member of its Board of Directors. Caroline has more than twenty years of experience in the area of trust administration and taxation. Caroline is primarily responsible for annual compliance audits by both independent and State auditors.

Prior to joining Commonwealth Trust Company, Caroline worked at a large Wilmington accounting firm where she specialized in audit, particularly for closely held business owners. In addition, Caroline served as President of Commonwealth Insurance, providing insurance services to small business owners.

Cynthia D. M. Brown is the President of Commonwealth and a member of its Board of Directors. Cindy has more than fifteen years of experience in the areas of trust administration, estate planning and tax.  Cindy is an active member of the Delaware State Bar Association Trust Act Committee, which drafts annual revisions to the Delaware Code.

Prior to joining Commonwealth, Cindy worked at a large Philadelphia law firm, where, among other things, she administered estates and trusts, drafted sophisticated estate planning documents, prepared and reviewed Federal and State death tax returns, and prepared and reviewed fiduciary accountings. Cindy’s experience also includes over eight years as an estate and trust paralegal with both large Philadelphia law firms and a local private practice in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. In law school, Cindy served as the Blue Book Editor of the Widener Law Review and received several achievement awards in the area of Federal Estate and Gift Taxation and Planning. Cindy is active in many professional organizations and community leadership and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Delaware CarePlan, Inc. and the Delaware Bankers Association.

James A. Horty, III is the Secretary of Commonwealth and a member of its Board of Directors. Jimmy brings with him more than twenty years of experience in working with and advising high net worth individuals, families and foundations. Specializing in the area of succession planning within closely held companies, he is able to bring a global approach to the business of trust administration.

In addition to his responsibilities at Commonwealth, Jimmy is deeply involved in Wilmington, Delaware, schools, civic organizations and charitable organizations assisting them with major fundraising events.

Matt serves as the Vice President of Legal at Commonwealth Trust Company. Matt joined Commonwealth in 2018 as a Senior Trust Attorney and was promoted to Vice President in 2023. His primary responsibilities include acting as an in-house counsel for the Company and leading the Company’s Trust Counsel team. He is also responsible for oversight and review of pending litigation matters involving the Company and the trusts which it administers and that the Company’s business is conducted in such a way as to accomplish the clients’ goals without creating undue risk to the Company.

Matt earned his J.D. from Widener University School of Law in 2010, his LL.M. in taxation and an Estate Planning Certificate from Villanova University in 2018.

Prior to joining Commonwealth, Matt worked in the legal, tax, and trust administration departments with two other national trust companies.

Amy is the Director of Business Development and works as part of Commonwealth Management and the Business Development Team by leading and coaching the Team to bring new clients to the organization. Amy is responsible for the overall management of all strategic and operational Marketing and client onboarding activities.

Prior to joining Commonwealth Trust Company, Amy worked at another well-established Delaware trust company for over fifteen years. Primary responsibilities there included developing new fiduciary, agency and custody business relationships for domestic and international individuals and families; instilling best practices and mentoring junior associates, and attending conferences to market the Company’s services.

Jamie E. McGinley is the Vice President of Trust Administration at Commonwealth. Jamie has more than ten years of experience in the banking and fiduciary industry, including the area of trust administration. Her responsibilities are focused on managing Commonwealth’s Trust Administration Team, the administration of personal trust accounts as well as the development and maintenance of positive relationships with families and their advisers.

Prior to joining Commonwealth, Jamie worked at two well established Delaware trust companies where she was responsible for the administration of trusts for high net worth families as well as on-going customer relations.

Jose Mercado is a member of the Business Development Team at Commonwealth Trust Company. Jose has more than twenty five years of experience in the financial services field, primarily in the corporate trust industry. Prior to joining Commonwealth, he worked as a senior-level business consultant for a large, well-known, national trust company.

Jose’s responsibilities at Commonwealth include growing relationships with advisors as well as developing relationships with new centers of influence, visiting with clients and their advisors on a regular basis, and marketing efforts on behalf of the Company to grow the Commonwealth brand.

Caroline H. Dickerson, CBC
Chief Executive Officer, Chairwoman of Board

Caroline Horty Dickerson is the Chief Executive Officer and Treasurer of Commonwealth as well as a member of its Board of Directors. Caroline has more than twenty years of experience in the area of trust administration and taxation. Caroline is primarily responsible for annual compliance audits by both independent and State auditors.

Prior to joining Commonwealth Trust Company, Caroline worked at a large Wilmington accounting firm where she specialized in audit, particularly for closely held business owners. In addition, Caroline served as President of Commonwealth Insurance, providing insurance services to small business owners.

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Cynthia D.M. Brown, J.D., TEP
President

Cynthia D. M. Brown is the President of Commonwealth and a member of its Board of Directors. Cindy has more than fifteen years of experience in the areas of trust administration, estate planning and tax.  Cindy is an active member of the Delaware State Bar Association Trust Act Committee, which drafts annual revisions to the Delaware Code.

Prior to joining Commonwealth, Cindy worked at a large Philadelphia law firm, where, among other things, she administered estates and trusts, drafted sophisticated estate planning documents, prepared and reviewed Federal and State death tax returns, and prepared and reviewed fiduciary accountings. Cindy’s experience also includes over eight years as an estate and trust paralegal with both large Philadelphia law firms and a local private practice in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. In law school, Cindy served as the Blue Book Editor of the Widener Law Review and received several achievement awards in the area of Federal Estate and Gift Taxation and Planning. Cindy is active in many professional organizations and community leadership and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Delaware CarePlan, Inc. and the Delaware Bankers Association.

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James A. Horty, III, CBC, CM&A
Vice President & Secretary

James A. Horty, III is the Secretary of Commonwealth and a member of its Board of Directors. Jimmy brings with him more than twenty years of experience in working with and advising high net worth individuals, families and foundations. Specializing in the area of succession planning within closely held companies, he is able to bring a global approach to the business of trust administration.

In addition to his responsibilities at Commonwealth, Jimmy is deeply involved in Wilmington, Delaware, schools, civic organizations and charitable organizations assisting them with major fundraising events.

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Matt Magnotta, J.D., LL.M.
Vice President of Legal

Matt serves as the Vice President of Legal at Commonwealth Trust Company. Matt joined Commonwealth in 2018 as a Senior Trust Attorney and was promoted to Vice President in 2023. His primary responsibilities include acting as an in-house counsel for the Company and leading the Company’s Trust Counsel team. He is also responsible for oversight and review of pending litigation matters involving the Company and the trusts which it administers and that the Company’s business is conducted in such a way as to accomplish the clients’ goals without creating undue risk to the Company.

Matt earned his J.D. from Widener University School of Law in 2010, his LL.M. in taxation and an Estate Planning Certificate from Villanova University in 2018.

Prior to joining Commonwealth, Matt worked in the legal, tax, and trust administration departments with two other national trust companies.

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Amy S. Brown, TEP
Director of Business Development

Amy is the Director of Business Development and works as part of Commonwealth Management and the Business Development Team by leading and coaching the Team to bring new clients to the organization. Amy is responsible for the overall management of all strategic and operational Marketing and client onboarding activities.

Prior to joining Commonwealth Trust Company, Amy worked at another well-established Delaware trust company for over fifteen years. Primary responsibilities there included developing new fiduciary, agency and custody business relationships for domestic and international individuals and families; instilling best practices and mentoring junior associates, and attending conferences to market the Company’s services.

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Jamie E. McGinley
Vice President of Trust Administration

Jamie E. McGinley is the Vice President of Trust Administration at Commonwealth. Jamie has more than ten years of experience in the banking and fiduciary industry, including the area of trust administration. Her responsibilities are focused on managing Commonwealth’s Trust Administration Team, the administration of personal trust accounts as well as the development and maintenance of positive relationships with families and their advisers.

Prior to joining Commonwealth, Jamie worked at two well established Delaware trust companies where she was responsible for the administration of trusts for high net worth families as well as on-going customer relations.

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Jose Mercado
Business Development Specialist

Jose Mercado is a member of the Business Development Team at Commonwealth Trust Company. Jose has more than twenty five years of experience in the financial services field, primarily in the corporate trust industry. Prior to joining Commonwealth, he worked as a senior-level business consultant for a large, well-known, national trust company.

Jose’s responsibilities at Commonwealth include growing relationships with advisors as well as developing relationships with new centers of influence, visiting with clients and their advisors on a regular basis, and marketing efforts on behalf of the Company to grow the Commonwealth brand.

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A Heritage of Trust

Commonwealth Trust Company has a rich heritage of management with the foresight to adapt the trust business to changing economic times. Read more about the history of Commonwealth and the intersection with the development of the modern Delaware trust landscape.
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