TowneBank has promoted R. Lee Clark from chief human resources officer to chief operating officer, the bank announced Thursday, January 5.
In this role, Clark will continue to oversee human resources and will be responsible for bank operations in addition to joining the corporate management team.
“Throughout his career at TowneBank, Lee has led with a steady hand and calm demeanor,” said William I. “Billy” Foster III, TowneBank president and CEO, in a prepared a statement. “His operational experience at TowneBank, track record of consistent follow-through, and commitment to our culture of caring make him ideally suited to lead our knowledgeable and experienced operations group.”
Clark partially succeeds Brad E. Schwartz, who retired as bank president and COO on December 31, 2022.
He joined TowneBank in 2006 as a senior business analyst and held leadership positions in loan administrations and banking operations before becoming chief human resources officer in 2019. Prior to joining TowneBank, Clark worked at Bank of Tidewater and SouthTrust Corp. He obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Finance from College of William & Mary and an MBA from Old Dominion University’s Strome College of Business.
Founded in 1999, TowneBank currently has more than 40 banking offices located throughout Virginia and North Carolina. TowneBank ended 2021 with a net income of $215.4 million, a 48 percent increase over 2020.