Ohio Banker Elected Chairman of ABA Community Bankers Council

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Jeff Smith has been elected chairman of the American Bankers Association's Community Bankers Council—which represents America's more than 6,000 community banks—for the 2014-2015 association year. Smith is the chairman of the board of Ohio Valley Banc Corp., an $800 million financial holding company headquartered in Gallipolis, Ohio.

The CBC identifies community bank priorities and represents community banking in ABA's policy-making process. As chairman, Smith will serve as the voice of the Council and will co-chair the ABA National Community Bankers Conference.

Smith began his banking career in 1973 in the bookkeeping department, after which he held positions in data processing, lending, and branch administration.  He became the 9th Ohio Valley Bank president in 1995, CEO in 2000 and chairman of the board in 2010.

Smith has served as a member of the Community Bank Advisory Council for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and a board member of the Ohio Bankers League. He received his bachelor's degree in accounting and his masters of education from Ohio University. 

Smith replaces outgoing Community Bankers Council Chairman Rheo Brouillard, president and CEO of SI Financial Group Inc. in Willimantic, Conn.

The American Bankers Association is the voice of the nation's $15 trillion banking industry, which is composed of small, regional and large banks that together employ more than 2 million people, safeguard $11 trillion in deposits and extend more than $8 trillion in loans.

Ohio Valley Banc Corp. owns two subsidiaries: Ohio Valley Bank, established in 1872, which operates 14 offices throughout southern Ohio and western West Virginia and Loan Central, a consumer finance company with seven offices in southern Ohio. Ohio Valley Banc Corp. stock is traded on The NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol OVBC. The company's website is www.ovbc.com.

Contact: Blair Bernstein, ABA, [email protected], (202) 663-5315
or Bryna Butler, Ohio Valley Bank, [email protected], (740) 446-2631 x.253

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150114/169159

SOURCE Ohio Valley Bank; American Bankers Association

Related Links

http://www.ovbc.com