ABINGDON, Va., July 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- First Bank & Trust Company, a diversified financial services firm today announced that Samuel W. Johnson has joined the Bank's agricultural team as Vice President & Agricultural Lender.
Johnson has over 20 years of experience in banking and finance and was most recently employed by Southern States Cooperative where he provided credit and financing expertise for the cooperative in North and South Carolina. In his role at First Bank & Trust Company, Johnson will serve the credit and depository needs of the agricultural community in North Carolina, initially in Nash County and the surrounding region. He received his bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Campbell University in 1987 and he is a 2013 graduate of the Southeastern Ag Lenders School at Clemson University. Johnson is a past member of the Nash County Agricultural Advisory Committee and has served on numerous community and civic organizations in Nash and Montgomery Counties. Johnson is an Eagle Scout and was a recipient of the District Award of Merit for the Montgomery District Boy Scouts of America.
Samuel Johnson and his wife, Andrea, reside in Nash County, NC. He can be reached at 252-450-9901.
First Bank & Trust Company also announced that Jason B. Miller joined the bank's agricultural team as Assistant Vice President and Agricultural Lender earlier this year. He brings five years of agricultural lending experience to the organization, and is a lifetime resident of the Shenandoah Valley, growing up in a farming family in Edinburg, Virginia. Miller works in the Woodstock, Virginia office of First Bank & Trust Company serving the northern Shenandoah Valley and surrounding areas. He is a 2004 graduate of Virginia Polytechnic University where he received his bachelor's degree in Agricultural Education. Miller serves on the Board of Directors for the Shenandoah County Chamber of Commerce where he co-chairs the Young Professionals Network. He is also an active member in the Affiliates of the Massanutten Association of Realtors.
Jason and his wife, Whitney, live in Mt. Jackson VA with their two children. His office is located at 1101 Hisey Avenue in Woodstock, Virginia and he can be reached at 540-459-7228.
Keith Phillips, Senior Vice President and Manager of First Bank & Trust Company's Agricultural Lending Division commented on the decades of growth the division has experienced under his direction, "Our agricultural lenders have a deep understanding of agriculture and the cyclical nature of this business. With over 200 years of combined lending experience, we are well equipped to handle the needs of our customers. "
When asked what distinguishes First Bank & Trust Company from its competitors, Phillips replied, "First Bank and Trust Company is nationally recognized for its strength in agricultural lending. This recognition has been achieved through the expertise of our lenders and the relationships that we have developed with our customers and the communities that we serve."
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 office locations in southwest Virginia, northeast Tennessee, and New River and Shenandoah Valleys. Financial objectives are addressed by offering free checking products for personal and business accounts, and assessing lending solutions managed by mortgage, agricultural and commercial lending divisions. Comprehensive financial solutions are available through trust and brokerage service representatives.
About First Bank & Trust Company's Agricultural Lending Division
The Agricultural Lending Division at First Bank & Trust Company was established in 2002, and is among the top banks in the nation for agriculture lending. The Division is committed to providing the unique needs of the agricultural industry in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. First Bank & Trust Company is a USDA-FSA Preferred Lender in seven states, and is a FarmerMac loan originator for the mid- Atlantic region. First Bank & Trust Company utilizes an Agricultural Advisory Committee comprised of leaders from diversified sectors of the agricultural industry. As of the first quarter of 2020, First Bank & Trust Company was the 46th largest agricultural lender among commercial banks nationally, according to an FDIC report based on dollar volume.
For more information, visit www.firstbank.com or contact Nicole Franks [email protected]
SOURCE First Bank & Trust Company
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