Three First National Bank employees attended Alabama Banking School.on July 24.

One returned to fulfill her third year requirement and graduate, one to serve as the class director and one to start his ABS first term.
Faculty members are dedicated to teaching the latest trends and best practices to help students become more knowledgeable bank employees.

Students attended three week-long sessions during a two-year period to complete the program. At the conclusion of each session, students must successfully complete two final exams.

While not in session, students are required to complete extensive home study problems.
During the third and final session, students form teams and participate in a bank simulation program called BankExec.

This program allows students to make strategic decisions for a virtual bank to give a more complete picture of how these decisions affect bank performance.

Christy Halstead Wilson graduated Alabama Banking School last Friday.

Halstead has worked for First National Bank in Brundidge for eight years and currently serves as the compliance officer.

Jared McLendon will serve as the class director for the ABS banking class of 2019. McLendonhas worked for First National Bank for 11 years and currently serves as the Technology Officer.

Chris McVay completed his first year of the three- year program and will graduate in 2019.

McVay has worked for First National Bank for almost two years and is a loan officer and branch
manager at the FNB Troy location.

The Alabama Bankers Association represents 155 banks. Banks in Alabama have combined
deposits of more than $83.5 billion and have 1,554 locations across the state.

A total of 52 students attended the school.

Held at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, this year’s graduating class was the 38th since the school first began in 1976.
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill served as this year’s commencement speaker.

Alabama Banking School Director Shawn Gillis awarded diplomas to the graduates. Gillis is a first vice president at CenterState Bank in Birmingham.

Sponsored by the Alabama Bankers Association, the school is administered by a 26-member faculty comprised of bankers and industry professionals.

The school’s staff consists of former graduates who are active bankers in the state of Alabama.