First Community announced today that Sarah Donley has been appointed as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operations & Risk Officer. She takes over from Tanya Butts, who is retiring after having held this position since 2016.
Having joined First Community in 1997, Ms. Donley most recently served as the Controller. In her new role as Chief Operations and Risk Officer, she will oversee a wide array of functions, including electronic banking, deposit operations, loan operations, IT, information security, vendor management, audit, compliance, and financial crime prevention (CFT/AML), as well as fraud detection, facilities management, and physical security.
With over 35 years of experience in banking, including 27 years at First Community Bank, Donley is well-equipped to lead these crucial areas. Her extensive institutional knowledge and hands-on experience in these various responsibilities during her tenure provide her with a solid foundation for this new challenge.
Originally from Moorestown, New Jersey, Donley graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, complemented by a minor in Business Administration and Psychology from Wittenberg University, and she is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Additionally, she is a graduate of the First Community Bank Leadership Institute. Beyond her professional achievements, Donley has actively contributed as a volunteer and financial supporter for local organizations, including the Midlands Reading Consortium, Sole Stepping, and Palmetto Place.
First Community Bank President and CEO, Ted Nissen, commented, “Sarah has been an integral part of our team since joining our bank in 1997 and we are excited about the contributions that she will continue to make as a member of our Executive Leadership Team. Throughout her tenure with the bank, she has been involved with the areas that she will now lead as COO/CRO. Her passion for and dedication to our Company along with her 27 years of institutional knowledge have well prepared her for this important role. I’d also like to thank Tanya for her many contributions to First Community these past 8 years and note that she will continue as Executive Vice President and Senior Advisor through the first quarter of 2025 to insure a smooth transition.”
