Carolina Premier Bank Names David P. Barksdale as President

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Carolina Premier Bank, a community bank based in South Charlotte with branches extending into northern South Carolina, has named David P. Barksdale as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective February 4, 2015.

Barksdale has 27 years of banking experience, most recently as Senior Executive Vice President/Chief Strategy Officer of NewBridge Bank a $2.5 billion financial institution.

Charles R. Davis, Chairman of Carolina Premier Bank, said Barksdale is the ideal president to help the bank expand its client base of small and midsize businesses in South Charlotte and vicinity. "There are many businesses who want to work with a community bank instead of one of the big banks, and now that the economy is recovering, many of these businesses are growing. David's broad range of experience in banking, including mergers and acquisitions, makes him the perfect leader to develop strategy for our next phase of growth."

In addition to a variety of lending programs and checking accounts tailored for business clients, Carolina Premier also offers a range of personal banking services such as checking and savings accounts, home mortgages and individual retirement accounts.

In his most recent role at NewBridge, Barksdale reviewed merger and acquisition opportunities and helped spearhead NewBridge's acquisition of Security Savings Bank ($212 million in assets), CapStone Bank ($375 million in assets), and Premier Commercial Bank ($170 million in assets).

A graduate of Wake Forest University, he began his career at United Carolina Bank and First Citizens Bank & Trust. After a stint as Director of Annual Support and the College Fund at Wake Forest, he re-entered the banking world as a Senior Vice President/Area Executive for Lexington State Bank. Two years later, he became LSB's Chief Credit Officer. After LSB's merger with FNB Southeast in 2007 to form NewBridge Bank, Barksdale assumed the role of Executive Vice President/Regional President of the western Triad.

In 2008, he was named NewBridge's Senior Executive Vice President/Chief Banking Officer, and was named Senior Executive Vice President/Chief Strategy Officer in 2013.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure with NewBridge, and it prepared me immeasurably for this new role," Barksdale said. "Although I will miss my colleagues, I am very excited about the opportunity to lead a younger organization with great opportunity for growth. Carolina Premier Bank has an experienced and well-seasoned team that has built a solid foundation with a healthy loan portfolio. I look forward to working with them to continue cultivating a culture that is focused on serving clients and the community."

Caryn Johnson, who has been acting as Interim President will re-assume her previous role as Chief Operating Officer. 

With assets of $250 million, Carolina Premier Bank is one of the few locally-based community banks remaining in Charlotte.

Founded in August 2007, the bank has its home office in Ballantyne Corporate Place; a branch on Blakeney Park Drive in Charlotte; and branches in Rock Hill, Blacksburg and Six Mile, S.C., and Washington, D.C. It also owns the Bank of the Urban League of the Central Carolinas in Charlotte. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Premara Financial, Inc., a bank holding company.

CONTACT: Charles Davis, 704-752-0119 ext. 4400

SOURCE Premara Financial, Inc.