First Bank & Trust Company Expands Agriculture Lending Team To Service North Carolina

ABINGDON, Va., Aug. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- First Bank & Trust Company announces new Vice President Austin Phipps in Abingdon, Virginia. Phipps will join both the agriculture and commercial lending divisions of the bank. While Phipps's office will be based in Abingdon, he hails from Grayson County, Virginia and his service area will expand into North Carolina.

As a native of Southwest Virginia, Phipps is passionate about the success of agriculture in the region and wants to help better equip farmers throughout Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina by meeting their financial needs. Phipps said, "Our region deserves the very best in financial support and in collaboration with First Bank & Trust, that is exactly what I am going to offer. It's a privilege to work for a bank of this stature and be a part of its vision moving forward. I'm grateful for the opportunity."

Senior Vice President and Agriculture Lending Division Supervisor, Keith Phillips, said, "Our team has long recognized Western North Carolina as a part of our region's agricultural footprint. Adding Austin to our team is going to allow us to better serve farmers in Watauga, Ashe and Avery Counties."

Phipps has spent the last decade as a commercial lending officer for Skyline National Bank. His passion for agriculture is what ultimately led him to join the First Bank & Trust team, citing the bank's continuing investment in the success of the region's farmers.

Before beginning his career in banking, Phipps received his bachelor's degree from Radford University. He is currently attending the Virginia Bankers Association's School of Bank Management. Phipps is very involved in his community, attending Mountain View Baptist Church with his wife, Carlie, and their two daughters. Phipps is currently a board member for the Virginia Workforce Development Authority and has previously served on the advisory board for the Grayson County Sheriff's Department and the Grayson Carrol Virginia Tech Extension Agency.

Phipps can be reached at the bank's West Abingdon branch at 667 West Main Street, by calling 276-628-9558 or via email at [email protected].

About First Bank & Trust Company
First Bank and Trust Company, one of the top community banks in the United States, is a diversified financial services firm with office locations throughout southwest Virginia and the New River and Shenandoah Valleys of the state. First Bank and Trust Company also operates locations throughout northeast Tennessee. Financial solutions are addressed by offering free checking products for personal and business accounts, savings, money market and time deposit accounts. Lending solutions are managed by mortgage, agricultural and commercial lending divisions. Comprehensive wealth management solutions are available through trust and brokerage service representatives. 

For more information, visit www.firstbank.com.  

Media Contact:
Kaitlyn Widner
Vice President – Marketing
276-285-0293
[email protected]

SOURCE First Bank & Trust Company

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