GSA Daily Staff Report
Published Feb. 26, 2010

Columbia-based First Citizens Bank and Trust Co. promoted several new executives to lead Upstate operations, the company announced Thursday.

J.B. Schwiers will serve as regional executive vice president for the bank’s newly aligned North/Coastal region, which includes the metro Greenville and Spartanburg markets, the Upstate and Northeast Georgia markets and markets along the South Carolina coast. Schwiers, a 30-year banking veteran, previously served as division executive for the bank’s Upstate and Northeast Georgia division.

Jimmy Gulledge, who previously served as commercial area executive, has been named division executive for the Upstate and Northeast Georgia markets of Greenwood, North Georgia, Clemson, Rock Hill and Lancaster/Chester. Gulledge will continue to report to Schwiers.

John Wood, who had commercial relationship manager, has been named commercial area executive and will report to Gulledge. In this role, Wood will oversee commercial lending in Greenville and Anderson.

Tom Trouche, who has been serving as the bank’s Coastal Division Executive, will continue to lead the Coastal markets of greater Charleston, Beaufort County, South Strand and Grand Strand. He will report directly to Schwiers.

“Promoting JB to Regional Executive Vice President is a testament to his strong leadership skills and natural ability to build high-performing teams,” said First Citizens President and CEO Peter Bristow. “We are confident that with J.B., Jimmy, John and Tom at the helm of our new North/Coastal region – where we have aligned markets that share the same characteristics – First Citizens will excel at our long-standing commitment to service, accountability and a common sense approach to banking.”