Management Team

Paul J. Noris
President and Chief Executive Officer

Paul J. Noris is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank. Mr. Noris was the Lakeland City President for SunTrust Bank, Mid-Florida from July 2002 until March 2005. 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 & investment area engaged in sales and relationship management, with the balance of ten plus years working in the commercial lending department. His time in the commercial area began as a relationship manager and progressed through 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 various civic organization boards during that time. Mr. Noris is the Past Chair of the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce and serves on the board of Lakeland Vision. He is also the past President of the Explorations V Children's Museum. Mr. Noris received his B.S. degree in Finance from the University of Florida.

Kerry P. Charlet
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Kerry P. Charlet is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the Bank. Mr. Charlet received his B.S. in Accounting from University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL in 1974. After spending 11 years with Deloitte & Touche in various capacities, he began his banking career in 1986. Mr. Charlet has previously served as Chief Financial Officer for three banks in the past twenty years, including two institutions that converted from mutual to stock form of ownership. These two banks ultimately were acquired by larger regional banks. Mr. Charlet has been a resident of Lakeland since 1998 and has served in various community service roles including Treasurer for the Friends of the Library (2001 to present), member of the Polk County School Board Audit Committee (2002 to 2004) and currently serves as a Trustee for the City of Lakeland Pension Board as well as a member of the Civil Services Board for the City.

Larry J. Pitts
Executive Vice President and Senior Lending Officer

Larry J. Pitts is the Executive Vice President and Senior Lending Officer of the Bank. A graduate of Troy State University with a B.S. degree in Education, Mr. Pitts began his banking career as a Management Associate with 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, the Credit Policy Manager, and most recently was Executive Vice President and Credit Risk Manager for SunTrust Bank, Central Florida. He is a graduate of The School of Banking of the South at LSU, the STU Management School, and the STI 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.

Sales Team

Randell S. Hollen
Senior Vice President and Commercial Lending

Randell S. Hollen is Senior Vice President and Commercial Lender for the Bank. A native of Pennsylvania, Mr. Hollen received his B.S. in Accounting from Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio in 1983. He began his banking career immediately thereafter in 1983 moving to Florida in 1985. Since that time, Mr. Hollen has worked with SunTrust Bank and two community banks in commercial lending roles. His career emphasis has been in commercial lending including all forms of commercial transactions such as real estate, equipment and tax exempt transactions. Mr. Hollen moved to Lakeland in 1991 and has served in various community service roles including The Lakeland Rotary Club (President 2000-2001), Chairman of Leadership Lakeland Class XVIII, American Cancer Society (Board President 2006) and has 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 The School of Banking of the South at LSU.

Jennifer L. Vaughn
Vice President and Commercial Banking

Jennifer L. Vaughn is a Vice President and Commercial Lender for the Bank.
Ms. Vaughn is a Lakeland native and is a graduate of the University of South Florida with a B.A. in English. Ms. Vaughn began her banking career in 1993 with First Union Bank in Tampa. She then went on to join AmSouth Bank of Pinellas County in 2001. Prior to joining Bank of Central Florida, Ms. Vaughn worked for Citrus and Chemical Bank in their Brandon Commercial Lending office. Over the course of her 15 year career in banking, Ms. Vaughn has held the positions of Trust Officer, Private Banker and Business Banker. Ms. Vaughn is a 2002 graduate of Leadership St. Pete 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.

JoAnn Johnson
Vice President and Commercial Banking

JoAnn Johnson is Vice President and Commercial Lender for the Bank. Ms. Johnson began her banking career with Marine Midland Bank of Central New York. She worked in retail banking for thirteen years and managed three branch offices in Polk County for Barnett Bank. In 1998 she became an Assistant Vice President and Business Banking Officer with SunTrust Bank, where she was subsequently promoted to Vice President. Ms. Johnson has served in various community service roles including the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Committee, a member of the board of the Kiwanis Club of Mulberry and is a past member of the American Business Women's Association. For the past six years she has served on the Board of Trustees for Girls Incorporated of Lakeland and is currently the past Chair and Treasurer. Ms. Johnson is a graduate of Warner Southern College with a B.A. in Organizational Management.

Barbara R. Lineberger
Senior Vice President and Private Banking Officer

Barbara Lineberger is a Senior Vice President and Private Banking Officer for the Bank. Ms. Lineberger began her banking career in 1969 at Florida National Bank which was later purchased by First Union Bank. During her twenty four 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 and has been President of the Lakeland Christina Rotary (2001-2002) and a volunteer for March of Dimes and United Way. As 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
Vice President and Private Banking Officer

Jennifer L. Adams is Vice President and Private Banking Officer for the Bank. Ms. 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 as a business banker in Brandon and most recently was with AmSouth Bank as a business banker in Lakeland. Ms. Adams is a 2000 graduate of Leadership Bartow and served on the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors from 1997 to 2002. She currently sits on the board of Alliance for Independence, Inc. in Lakeland and represents the Bartow Chamber as an Ambassador. Ms. Adams grew up in Maitland, FL and decided to make Lakeland her home after graduating from Florida Southern College in 1989 with a B.S. degree in Public Relations.

Pam P. Mitchell
Vice President and Private Banking Officer

Pam Perdue Mitchell is Vice President and Private Banking Officer for the Bank. Mrs. Mitchell began her career in banking in 1975 with Citrus and Chemical Bank. She spent time in the retail side of the bank, data processing center and as a Marketing Officer. Mrs. Mitchell is a graduate of Bartow High School and various banking courses from the American Institute of Banking, Effective Personal Leadership, and Professional Presence Programs. Mrs. Mitchell is a native of Polk County and has served in various community roles including the Polk County Youth Fair Board, Florida Sheriff's Youth Villa Board of Associates, Downtown Bartow Inc., the City of Bartow Beautification Board, Bartow Community Development Plan, Bartow's 4th of July Committee, Just Say No Committee, Parade of Merchants, Crickette Club and currently serves as treasurer and board member of the Peace River Country Club and member of the Bartow Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100. Mrs. Mitchell is a past recipient of the Spirit of Bartow Award, graduate of Leadership Bartow Class VII, and serves as a Bartow Chamber Ambassador.

Gwyndolyn C. Hughes
Vice President and Private Banking Officer

Gwyndolyn Hughes is the Vice President and Private Banking Officer for the Bank. Mrs. 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 merger. She is a graduate of the University of Florida.

Akiko I. LaGesse
Vice President and Private Banking Officer

Akiko I. LaGesse is Vice President and Private Banking Officer for the Bank. Mrs. LaGesse is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and has been a Polk County resident for twenty-one years. In 1985 she began her banking career with NCNB in Avon Park. Having worked for Bank of America for twenty-three years, she spent the last six years as a Premier Client Manager in Wealth Management. Mrs. LaGesse is a 2002 graduate of Leadership Winter Haven and was a board member for the Watson Clinic Foundation.

Nancy M. LaFountain, CTP
Vice President and Treasury Management

Nancy M. LaFountain is Vice President and Treasury Management Sales Officer for the Bank. Ms. LaFountain began her career in banking with United Banking Group in Coral Gables (now SunTrust) in 1972 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).