STEVENSON– Scott Kirk, President at First Southern State Bank, today announced the promotion of six veteran bankers, Robert Ellis, Hailey Davis, Amanda Gorham, Whitley Mitchell, Sherry Morgan, and Kathy Winans.
Robert Ellis has been promoted to Vice President / Branch Manager of the Rainsville Office. Ellis began his banking career in 1987 at The Bank of Fyffe in the loan department and has worked in all aspects of banking. He joined First Southern in 2017 as a Vice President and Loan Officer. In addition to his new Branch Manager duties, he currently serves First Southern as a consumer and commercial lender.
A graduate of Plainview High School, Mr. Ellis earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Jacksonville State University and is a graduate of the Alabama Banking School. He is very active in his community, serving as a member of the Rainsville Industrial Development Board, and the Rainsville Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Ellis and his wife Marla are blessed with adult children, Drew Ellis, and Laura and Ian Richards, and one grandchild, Ellie. They are members of Broadway Baptist Church. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling with family and friends.
Hailey Davis has been promoted to Branch Officer at the Scottsboro office. Ms. Davis joined First Southern in 2013 as a Customer Service Representative. Her current responsibilities include bank-wide real estate loan processing and closing as well as customer service. She is a graduate of Skyline High School.
Ms. Davis is married to Jessie Davis, and they are lifelong residents of the Skyline community. In her spare time, she enjoys the outdoors by gardening, hiking, kayaking, and fishing.
Amanda Gorham has been promoted to Branch Officer at the Rainsville office. Since joining First Southern in 2003 as a Teller, Ms. Gorham has experience in both loan and deposit customer service. Her current responsibilities include consumer, commercial, and real estate loan processing and closing. She is a graduate of Sylvania High School and studied Business Administration at Northeast Alabama Community College.
Ms. Gorham is an active member and Pre-K & Kindergarten Sunday School Teacher at High Point Church of God. She is married to Clay Gorham and has a daughter, Lili. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, swimming, and going to the beach with her family.
Whitley Mitchell has been promoted to Executive Assistant. Ms. Mitchell will work closely with the executives and administrative staff in the Stevenson office. She began her banking career at First Southern in 2007, while in high school, as a part-time teller. Ms. Mitchell continued to work while attending college and has served most recently as a Customer Service Representative and Loan Assistant at the Rainsville office.
Ms. Mitchell is a graduate of Northeast Community College and holds applied science associate degrees in Elementary Education and Business Management. She serves her community as a member of the Board of Directors for the Rainsville Chamber of Commerce, as secretary on the Plainview High School Touchdown Club, and is on the board for the Tom Bevill Enrichment Center. She is married to Zane Mitchell, and has two spoiled dachshund-schnauzers, Cash & Penny. In her spare time, Ms. Mitchell enjoys watching true crime and supporting her nephews & niece in their various sporting activities.
Sherry Morgan has been promoted to Branch Officer at the Stevenson office. Ms. Morgan joined First Southern in 2006 as a Teller. She has worked in the Loan Department, as a Customer Service Representative opening new deposit accounts, and as a Loan Assistant. Her current responsibilities include loan processing and closing. Ms. Morgan is a graduate of North Jackson High School and attended Snead State Community College.
Ms. Morgan is married to Dewayne Morgan, and they are lifelong residents of Stevenson. They share two children, Riley and Sarah. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening and fishing.
Kathy Winans has been promoted to Branch Officer at the Higdon office. Ms. Winans joined First Southern in 2012 as a teller and was promoted to Loan Assistant in 2015. Ms. Winans is responsible for bank-wide real estate loan processing and closing as well as customer service. She is a graduate of North Sand Mountain High School, and holds an associate degree from Northeast Alabama Community College.
Ms. Winans is married to Mark Winans and they reside in Ider. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her pets.
“The hard work and dedication of these officers has made a significant impact on our organization and is integral to our continued success,” Kirk said. “We are thrilled to acknowledge and reward their efforts and to celebrate their career growth! I am both proud and thankful for our incredibly talented associates at First Southern State Bank.”
About First Southern State Bank
First Southern State Bank is a state-chartered community bank that has been serving individuals, small-to-medium-sized businesses, and large corporations in Northeast Alabama since 1910. It offers a wide range of personal and commercial banking, loans, and services via a dedicated, local staff committed to providing superior service and treating customers like family. First Southern State Bank has 10 locations in Cherokee, DeKalb, Jackson, and Marshall Counties of Alabama.
To learn more about First Southern State Bank, visit www.fssbank.com.
