Management Team
Paul J. Noris Paul J. Noris

President and Chief Executive Officer

Prior to joining Bank of Central Florida, Paul Noris was the Lakeland city president for SunTrust Bank, Mid-Florida. During his sixteen-year career with SunTrust Bank, Mr. Noris spent two years in the retail side of the bank as a branch manager, two years in credit administration managing the credit training function for the bank, one year in the trust and investment area engaged in sales and relationship management, and more than ten years working in the commercial lending department. His time in the commercial area began as a relationship manager and progressed from managing a local unit to managing the commercial lending function for SunTrust, Mid-Florida, while also carrying the title of city president.

Mr. Noris has lived in Lakeland since 1996 and has served on the boards of various civic organizations during that time. He is former chair of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce and the past president of the Explorations V Children's Museum. He currently serves as chairman of BusinessVoice at the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce and is on the Board of Overseers at Florida Southern College Business School. Mr. Noris received his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Florida.
 Kerry P. Charlet Kerry P. Charlet

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Kerry Charlet received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from University of West Florida in 1974. He began his banking career in 1986 after spending 11 years with Deloitte & Touche in various capacities. Mr. Charlet served as the chief financial officer of three banks over the past twenty years, including two institutions that converted from mutual to stock form of ownership. These two banks were ultimately acquired by larger regional banks. Mr. Charlet has been a resident of Lakeland since 1998 and serves in various community service roles. Since 2001, he has served as treasurer for the Friends of the Library. He is also a trustee for the City of Lakeland Pension Board and is a member of the Civil Services Board for the City.
Larry J. Pitts Larry J. Pitts

Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer

Larry Pitts began his banking career as a management associate at Flagship Bank of Polk County in Haines City, Florida. He spent seven years with Flagship Bank serving as a consumer loan officer, a branch manager and a commercial loan officer. In 1985, he joined Sun Bank of Polk County, now known as SunTrust Bank, Mid-Florida, as a commercial lending team manager for East Polk County. During his 23 years with SunTrust Bank, he served as commercial lending team manager for West Polk County, credit policy manager, and as executive vice president and credit risk manager for SunTrust Bank, Central Florida. He received his bachelor’s degree in education from Troy State University and is a graduate of Louisiana State University’s School of Banking of the South, St. Thomas University’s Management School, and STI’s Real Estate Lending School. Mr. Pitts has extensive experience in consumer lending, commercial lending, commercial real estate lending, agriculture lending, institutional and government lending, automotive dealer financing, and private banking lending.
Joseph Furnari III Joseph Furnari III

Executive Vice President and Retail Banking Executive

Joseph Furnari is a 30 year resident of Polk County and received his bachelor’s degree in financial management from Florida Southern College. He spent six years with Metropolitan Life as a sales representative before beginning his banking career with First Union in 1998 (later Wachovia Bank). During his 12 year career with Wachovia, Mr. Furnari spent seven years in the retail bank, which included four years as a licensed financial specialist in the branch network and three years as a sales leader for both Hillsborough and Polk counties. The following five years were spent as a commercial banker for Polk County. He is currently a member of Lakeland Leadership Class 24.

Sales Team

Randell S. Hollen Randell S. Hollen

Senior Vice President and Commercial Lender

A native of Pennsylvania, Randell Hollen received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Marietta College in 1983. He began his banking career immediately thereafter before moving to Florida in 1985. Since that time, Mr. Hollen has worked with SunTrust Bank and two community banks in commercial lending roles, including all forms of commercial transactions such as real estate, equipment and tax exempt transactions. Mr. Hollen has been a resident of Lakeland since 1991 and has served in various community service roles. He was president of The Lakeland Rotary Club from 2000 to 2001 and was board president of the American Cancer Society in 2006. He is currently chairman of Leadership Lakeland Class XVIII and has also served on the boards of VISTE, United Way of Central Florida, Achievement Academy of Polk County, Inc. and the Learning Resource Center of Polk County. He is a 1995 graduate of Louisiana State University’s School of Banking of the South.
Jennifer L. Vaughn Jennifer L. Vaughn

Vice President and Commercial Lender

Jennifer Vaughn is a Lakeland native and received her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of South Florida. Ms. Vaughn began her banking career in 1993 with First Union Bank in Tampa. She went on to join AmSouth Bank of Pinellas County in 2001. Prior to joining Bank of Central Florida, she worked in the Brandon Commercial Lending office of Citrus and Chemical Bank. Over the course of her 18 year banking career, Ms. Vaughn has held the positions of trust officer, private banker and business banker. She is a 2002 graduate of Leadership St. Pete, a 2010 graduate of Leadership Lakeland and has worked in volunteer roles for the Salvation Army, Paint Your Heart Out Tampa, and the Hillsborough and Polk County School Systems. Ms. Vaughn currently serves on the board of Explorations V Children's Museum in Lakeland.
Chrissy Schaff Chrissy Schaff

Vice President and Commercial Lender

Chrissy Schaff began her 15 year banking career with Bank of America, spending seven years as a business banker with the primary responsibility of outside business development. She also worked at Mid Florida Credit Union where she held the positions of commercial loan auditor and consumer relationship manager. In addition, she spent time as a small business relationship manager for TD Bank (formerly Riverside Bank), serving the Polk County market. Ms. Schaff has been a Lakeland resident for 33 years. Her community involvement includes former treasurer of the Healthy Start Coalition and board member of Girls, Inc. She currently serves as president of the board of directors for Explorations V Children's Museum.
Scott Gardner Scott Gardner

Vice President and Commercial Lender

A native of Lakeland, Scott Gardner graduated from the University of Florida with a dual major in finance and marketing. Since 2003, he has worked in commercial banking and business services at World Omni Financial Corporation, First Union, SunTrust, and Mid Florida Credit Union. Mr. Gardner is a graduate of Leadership Lakeland Class 24, former president of Explorations V Children’s Museum, and former board member of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce.
Barbara R. Lineberger Barbara R. Lineberger

Senior Vice President and Private Banking Officer

MLO# 698823

Barbara Lineberger began her banking career in 1969 at Florida National Bank, which was later purchased by First Union. During her 24 years there, she worked as a commercial loan administrative assistant, installment loan officer, newcomer's department officer, merchant services representative and marketing officer. In 1993, she joined SunTrust Bank as the manager of the Imperial Lakes, Lakeland Highlands and South Lakeland offices. In 2000, she joined the private wealth department and obtained her Series 6, 63, and 65 licenses. Ms. Lineberger is a graduate of Leadership Lakeland Class XVIII, was president of the Lakeland Christina Rotary from 2001 to 2002 and is a volunteer for March of Dimes and the United Way. As a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, she serves on the finance board and board of My Sister's House, which works with individuals of domestic violence.
Jennifer L. Adams Jennifer L. Adams

Vice President and Private Banking Officer

MLO# 698821

Jennifer Adams began her career in banking in 1996 with SunTrust Bank, where she spent most of her seven years as the branch manager of the Bartow office. In 2002, she moved to Wachovia Bank as a business banker in Brandon and, more recently, was a business banker at AmSouth Bank in Lakeland. Ms. Adams is a 2000 graduate of Leadership Bartow and a 2011 graduate of Leadership Lakeland. She served on the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce board of directors from 1997 to 2002, currently sits on the board of Alliance for Independence, Inc. in Lakeland and represents the Bartow Chamber of Commerce as an ambassador. Ms. Adams grew up in Maitland, Florida and decided to make Lakeland her home after graduating from Florida Southern College in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in public relations.
Pam P. Mitchell Pam P. Mitchell

Vice President and Private Banking Officer

MLO# 698978

Pam Mitchell is a native of Polk County. She began her banking career in 1975 with Citrus and Chemical Bank where she worked in data processing, marketing and customer relations. She has dedicated her time volunteering in community service encompassing civic, governmental and charitable organizations. Her service has earned her a Spirit of Bartow Award, as well as the Leadership Bartow Award, Bartow’s highest honor for community service and support. She is a graduate of Leadership Bartow Class of VII.
Gwyndolyn C. Hughes Gwyndolyn C. Hughes

Vice President and Private Banking Officer

MLO# 698822

Gwyndolyn Hughes began her banking career with Wachovia Bank as a financial specialist, during which she obtained her investment and insurance licenses with the State of Florida and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Most recently, Mrs. Hughes was an assistant vice president and assistant branch manager for Regions Bank at the Lake Christina office in South Lakeland. In 2007, she served as conversion support staff during the AmSouth and Regions Bank merger. She is a graduate of the University of Florida and currently serves on the board of directors of The Junior League of Greater Lakeland.
Nancy M. LaFountain, CTP Nancy M. LaFountain, CTP

Vice President and Treasury Management

Nancy LaFountain began her banking career in 1972 with United Banking Group in Coral Gables (now SunTrust), holding positions in operations and cash management sales. After her transfer to Tampa in 1990 and then to Lakeland in 1998, Ms. LaFountain held positions of management and sales specializing in the treasury management area of banking with SunTrust, Republic and Regions banks. Her background also includes operations management, conversion team experience and product management. Ms. LaFountain holds a degree from Miami Dade Community College. Having been a member since 1990, she is currently the membership chair for the Tampa Bay Treasury Management Association (TBAFP) and is a prior secretary of the organization. Ms. LaFountain holds the designation of Certified Treasury Professional® (CTP).