FIRST BANK & TRUST COMPANY EXPANDS NORTHEAST TENNESSEE TEAM

First Bank & Trust Company Announces Expanding Leadership Within Northeast Tennessee Operations

ABINGDON, Va., April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Increasing demand for financial services within the Tri-Cities, has prompted First Bank & Trust Company to implement key leadership changes in the Kingsport and Bristol, Tennessee markets and expand the bank's Johnson City team.

Shawn Porter, formerly a vice president of commercial lending for First Bank & Trust, has been promoted to the bank's Kingsport city executive. In his new position, Porter is the lead banker for the Kingsport market and will oversee all deposit and loan portfolios, as well as staffing.

Porter joined First Bank & Trust Company in 2019. He has a diverse background in the financial services industry spanning more than 24 years and specializing in commercial lending. Currently, he is serving on the board of the Eastern Eight Community Development Corporation and is an active Rotarian. Porter has previously served as the commercial firms chair of the charity committee for The United Way of Greater Kingsport.

To aid Porter in his new position, Tenesia Berry was promoted to branch operations supervisor for the bank's Kingsport location. In her new role, Berry will support efforts in business development, community projects and customer support. She will also manage the branch's support staff. Berry's promotion comes after 12 years of dedicated service to the bank.

Senior Vice President and Regional Manager for Northeast Tennessee Hugh Ferguson, said, "Having the right staff in key leadership positions for each region and each specific market is vital to our team's efforts to continue expanding our services and engaging our customers. Kingsport, Bristol and Johnson City are all growing markets for First Bank & Trust. It was important for us to match that growth with appropriate adjustments in leadership and staffing."

In addition to Porter and Berry's promotions in Kingsport, Ferguson's Bristol team is undergoing changes. Vicky Holbrook has been promoted to assistant vice president and branch manager of Bristol's Volunteer Parkway location. Holbrook, who has more than 30 years' experience in banking, joined First Bank & Trust in March of 2019 as a branch operations officer. She was previously attached to the Bristol location, formerly located on State Street.

In Johnson City, an influx in requests for mortgages, refinances and home equity lines of credit has dictated an expansion of the bank's team. First Bank & Trust Company welcomes Tanya Collins to the bank's State of Franklin location as a mortgage banker. Collins joins First Bank & Trust with a decade of banking experience, specialized in mortgages, private banking and retail banking. Collins's responsibilities will include all types of residential mortgage programs including purchase loans, refinances, renovation loans, construction loans, and home equity lines of credit.

Andy Puckett, Senior Vice President – Mortgage Division, said, "We are excited to welcome Tanya to our team. Her experience and dedication to providing customers with the right financial solutions is invaluable. I know our customers are going to love working with her."

Collins serves as a campaign cabinet member for the United Way of Greater Kingsport and a member of the Kingsport Home Builders Association. Collins resides in Kingsport with her husband, Greg, and their two children, Brayden and Kayleigh.

About First Bank & Trust Company
First Bank & Trust Company, one of the top community banks in the United States, is a diversified financial services firm with more than 30 office locations throughout Southwest Virginia, Virginia's New River and Shenandoah Valleys and Northeast Tennessee. The bank's financial solutions include 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 First Trust & Wealth Management.

For more information, visit www.firstbank.com. 

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

SOURCE First Bank & Trust Company