Planters First Bank is pleased to announce their new Executive Management Team. The following individuals have been selected to lead Planters First Bank into the future along with Mike Phillips, Chief Executive Officer.
Eli Tinsley, President & Chief Banking Officer
Tinsley has 23 years of banking experience and most recently served as Market President for Planters First Bank in Cordele, GA. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia where he earned his degree in Agricultural Economics and the LSU School of Banking. He is a member of First Baptist Church, a member and Past President of the Cordele Lions Club, Executive Board Member and Past Chairman of Crisp County Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Cordele-Crisp Tourism Division, IDC member, Cordele Housing Authority Board Member, Board Member of the Georgia Veterans Friends of the Park and active in various other local charities. Eli and his wife, Julie, have two children, William and Julia.
Among his many strengths, Eli is dedicated to building and maintaining personal banking relationships and tailoring products and services to both individual and business clients. Many of our customers trust Eli for clear and effective advice when making their most important decisions.
Eli Tinsley had the following to say about his new position, “Little did I realize 16 years ago just how much joy Cordele, Ga. would bring to my life. From meeting my wife, formerly Julie Rogers, having two amazing children William and Julia, to having the opportunity to work with an amazing team at Planters First Bank. Planters First Bank has a strong heritage in South Georgia and continues to strive to be the best community bank. I am honored to be designated as the President of Planters First Bank and remain committed to meeting the needs of our clients while empowering our team members to create solutions that exceed expectations.”
Amy Still, EVP, Chief Credit Officer
Amy joined the bank in February 2019 as the Chief Credit Officer and has been responsible for the oversight of Planter’s credit functions. Amy has been in banking for 17+ years and prior to banking, she was a CPA with a Macon accounting firm. Amy received a Master of Business Administration from Georgia College and State University in 2007 and a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in accounting, from Mercer University in 2001.
Amy is married to Josh Still, owner of Water, Wind & Soil, LLC in Gray, Georgia. They have two girls and one boy who are 12-year-old triplets. Still is a member of First Baptist Church in Gray, a member of the Georgia Society of CPAs, and the AICPA.
Kay Watson, EVP, Chief Financial Officer
Kay has 33+ years of banking experience and has worked throughout many different departments during her banking career. Kay’s most recent promotion came in February 2019 when she was promoted to Senior Vice President. Kay’s responsibilities as CFO, include tracking cash flow, financial planning, and analyzing the bank’s financial strengths/weaknesses. Kay is a graduate of Middle Georgia College and Georgia Southwestern College.
Kay is a member of First Baptist Church of Hawkinsville and is also very active in the local Relay for Life Campaign.
Rusty Slade, EVP, Chief Information Officer
Rusty has worked at Planters First Bank for 27 years and has held a variety of roles during his career prior to being promoted to Chief Information Officer. Rusty’s responsibilities as CIO include bank operations and information technology. Rusty is a graduate of Georgia Southwestern College, Georgia Banking School at UGA, and the Graduate School of Banking at LSU.
Rusty resides in Cordele with his wife, Maribeth, who is also employed with PFB. They have five children and are active in the local community with memberships in various committees including: Crisp County Power Commission, Crisp County IDC, Cordele/Crisp Chamber of Commerce, Crisp County Young Farmers, South GA Tech Advisory Board, and Kiwanis.
Lisa Lane, EVP, Chief Administration Officer
Lisa joined Planters First Bank in August 2019 as the Chief Administration Officer and has over 35 years of banking experience. Lisa is responsible for Enterprise Risk Management, Audit, and Human Resources. Prior to joining Planters, Lisa held various administrative, management, operational, marketing, and retail roles in banks throughout Georgia. Lisa is a graduate of Truett McConnell University in Cleveland, Georgia. Lisa has been active in statewide and national banking organizations over the years as well as various community organizations. Lisa currently serves as a member of The Methodist Home for Children & Youth Foundation Board. Lisa grew up in Pitts and now lives in Vienna with her husband, Donnie. Lisa and Donnie are members of the Vienna United Methodist Church.
Dan Duchnowski, EVP, Chief Deposit Officer & Chief Marketing Officer
Dan joined Planters First Bank in February 2020 as the Chief Deposit Officer & Chief Marketing Officer and has 20 years of banking experience in various positions at several banks. Prior to joining Planters, Dan worked at S&T Bank of Indiana, PA, where he served as SVP, Digital Solutions Manager, and was responsible for core deposit growth, digital marketing, and online/mobile banking products. Dan is currently responsible for the management of deposit growth, Treasury Management Services, the Solution Center, and Marketing. Dan is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Dan has been married to his wife, Melissa, for 17 years and has two sons, Parker (13) and Liam (10). Dan and his family reside in Bonaire, GA, and are members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Warner Robins.
Mike Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Planters First Bank, commented that “Our new Executive Management team brings a unique blend of expertise, dedication, and servant leadership to the future of Planters First Bank. The opportunities for success that this group brings with their leadership is far beyond what we envisioned, and we are extremely pleased with the inspiration that this milestone creates. We are thankful for them as individuals and as a team that they chose our organization within which to share their career contributions in service to our customers, our employees, and our shareholders. With them and each of our teammates, Planters First Bank will be The Best Community Bank for Middle Georgia.”
Dan Speight, Chief Executive Officer of Planters First Bancorp, commented that “I can’t be more excited about the team that Mike Phillips has put together to lead Planters First Bank. This team combines many years of community banking talent and all share the vision of taking care of our customers, team members, and shareholders. I have no doubt that Planters First Bank will continue to thrive under their leadership.”
About Planters First Bank:
Founded in 1896, Planters First Bank, the 8th oldest financial institution in Georgia, is headquartered in Cordele, Georgia, and operates seven full-service locations throughout Middle Georgia.
For additional information, contact:
Dan Duchnowski
Chief Marketing Officer
478.971.8031
dduchnowski@bankpfb.com