First National Community Bank Welcomes Lesa C. Downey as Chief Retail Banking Officer
Chatsworth, Ga., October 27, 2026 – First National Community Bank (FNCB), the wholly owned subsidiary of First Chatsworth Bankshares, Inc., is pleased to welcome banking veteran Lesa C. Downey as Chief Retail Banking Officer. Downey officially joined FNCB on October 19 and brings more than 40 years of banking experience, including executive leadership, commercial lending, credit, risk management, retail banking and community banking. In this role, Downey will oversee retail banking operations, furthering the Bank’s commitment to providing trusted, relationship-based financial solutions throughout northwest Georgia.
“I am proud to welcome Lesa to our banking family. She has built an enviable career whose depth and experience will nicely complement our team. In her new role, Lesa will provide key infrastructure enhancements to the delivery of our Bank’s products and services while reinforcing the infrastructure that supports the expansion of our Bank’s overall retail service quality and production initiatives. I am excited about the experience and perspective that she brings to FNCB and look forward to all that she will accomplish while adding to the Bank’s high-performance workplace,” said FNCB President and Chief Executive Officer, Ryan P. Earnest.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Downey has a longstanding commitment to community and civic involvement throughout Northwest Georgia. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Bankers Association and its Community Bankers Committee and serves as Chair of the Business Advisory Council for the Wright School of Business at Dalton State College. She also presently serves as a Trustee of the Dalton State College Foundation and on the Executive Board of Directors of the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce.
“We are very excited to welcome Lesa to the FNCB leadership team. Her extensive banking experience and leadership background will be tremendous assets to our organization. Lesa has a proven ability to build relationships, develop teams and strengthen the overall banking experience, and we look forward to the impact she will make,” said FNCB Chief Banking Officer, Gary Middleton.
Downey has also been actively involved with the Whitfield Education Foundation, where she currently serves as Co-Treasurer and has previously served as President and Trustee. Her community involvement includes the Calhoun Rotary Club, where she is a Paul Harris Fellow, and the Chatsworth Rotary Club, where she served as Past President and Treasurer.
Additionally, she has served in leadership roles with the Chatsworth-Murray County Chamber of Commerce, including Board Chair and Vice Chair of Community Development. Her contributions to the community have been recognized with the 2024 Whitener Award from the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce and Business Person of the Year honors from the Murray County Chamber of Commerce in 2008.
“I am honored to join First National Community Bank and become part of an organization with such a strong commitment to its customers, employees and communities. FNCB has built a strong reputation as a true community bank, and I am excited about the opportunity to work alongside such a talented team. I look forward to building relationships with our customers, supporting our team and helping FNCB continue to grow while remaining focused on the people and communities we serve,” said Downey.
Downey earned a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership from Dalton State College. She also holds a diploma from the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking, a Leadership Certificate from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and banking diplomas in commercial lending, consumer lending and general banking from the American Institute of Banking.
For more information about First National Community Bank and its commitment to serving Northwest Georgia communities, visit www.fncbank.com.
About First Chatsworth Bankshares Inc.: Founded in 1975, First National Community Bank, the wholly owned subsidiary of First Chatsworth Bankshares, Inc., has approximately $754 million in total assets and $653 million in total deposits. We are a locally owned community bank with our branches located within a contiguous footprint throughout northwest Georgia with local decision making, exemplary customer service and extraordinary involvement in the communities we serve. The Bank operates 11 banking offices in Adairsville, Calhoun, Cartersville, Chatsworth, Dallas, Dalton (2 banking office locations), Eton and Rome (3 banking office locations), a mortgage office in Dalton and loan production in Chattanooga, Tennessee. For more information, visit www.fncbank.com.
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