First Bank Promotes Donna Ward To Chief Operating Officer

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Jan 08, 2020, 12:23 ET

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C., Jan. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- First Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Donna Ward to the position of EVP, Chief Operating Officer (COO) as of January 1, 2020.

Ward has been with the bank for more than two decades, serving in a variety of positions including director of training, branch administration manager, and most recently, director of project management. With her new role, Ward will oversee all of the bank's operation groups along with the teams in IT, digital banking, and its customer service centers.

"Donna's leadership of numerous enterprise initiatives and her track record in management and operations make her uniquely qualified for this position," said Mike Mayer, First Bank president and CEO. "She has been someone we've long depended on to keep the ship sailing smoothly, and this promotion is in recognition of all that she does and continues to do for the bank."

Through much of her time at First Bank, Ward has worked closely with Rex Scott, EVP, the bank's long-time COO who is retiring in August 2020. "Rex has been a cornerstone of the bank, and his positive influence is strongly felt at every level," said Richard Moore, CEO of First Bancorp, the holding company of First Bank. "We're deeply appreciative of the leadership he's shown throughout these many years as the bank has doubled both its asset size and its number of branches across the Carolinas. Without Rex, First Bank wouldn't be what it is today."

Ward joins a short list of women in the C-suite among North Carolina's top 50 publicly traded companies and is only one of two serving as COO. "We're extremely pleased to have Donna in this new role at the bank," said Mayer. "She's the exact person the bank needs as we continue to grow and as we strive to be the best bank in every community we serve."

About First Bank

First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $6.1 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 101 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC." Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.

SOURCE First Bank