Scott Bauer is the Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors and has held this position since January 2002. Mr. Bauer has spent his entire career in the banking industry. He obtained a Masters Degree in Banking from Stonier National Graduate School of Banking. Mr. Bauer has extensive experience in bank operations and in-depth knowledge of banking laws and the regulatory environment. Following a career concentrated in commercial banking, Mr. Bauer founded Southern Community Bank and Trust in 1995 and the Bank began operations in 1996. Mr. Bauer has been the CEO of the Bank since inception. Mr. Bauer is very active in local community affairs, serving on the board of directors for various not-for-profit entities and charitable organizations. In his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Bauer brings his extensive knowledge of banking operations, laws, and regulatory environments to oversee and coordinate the Board's deliberations. Mr. Bauer's presence in the local community also helps to ensure that the Company's directors remain informed of local business trends and the impact of the economic cycle on the Bank's customers, its ongoing operations and its ongoing strategy.
James Chrysson has been a real estate professional for his entire career beginning with a concentration in real estate during his undergraduate studies. After several years experience as a real estate appraiser, Mr. Chrysson's real estate activities transitioned into multi-family development projects and commercial real estate development. Today, Mr. Chrysson is co-owner of a real estate development company headquarted in Winston-Salem, N.C. Mr. Chrysson was one of the original members of our Board of Directors and was nominated to the board because of his extensive knowledge and experience as an entrepreneur in the local real estate market, specifically his knowledge and expertise in commercial real estate development. Mr. Chrysson was appointed Vice Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors at the beginning of 2009. In this role, Mr. Chrysson promotes and facilitates continued education for the Board of Directors. Mr. Chysson also serves as the Chair of the Company's Nominating and Compensation Committee.
Matthew Gallins is a long standing local entrepreneur with a varied experience of investing in and helping to create and operate various business ventures. Drawing on both his personal and professional experience, Mr. Gallins has the ability to mediate group discussions and provide oversight and long-term perspective on business development and strategic initiatives. Mr. Gallins was one of the original members of our Board of Directors. Mr. Gallins is well-known in the local community and his knowledge of business trends and the economic cycle of the area that the Company serves is one of his key contributions to the Board. Mr. Gallins was appointed Lead Independent Director of the Board of Directors in 2008. In addition, Mr. Gallins is Chair of the Company's Loan Committee, which is integral to the Bank's loan review and approval process.
Edward Brown has been involved in the agricultural industry since the early part of his career and has deep experience in growing and developing a business from its conception. Today, Mr. Brown is President of an agricultural holding company that oversees farm related businesses throughout North Carolina. Mr. Brown is a well-known leader in the local community with extensive personal and professional contacts. Mr. Brown was one of the founding members of The Community Bank Board of Directors and served on that Board at the time it was acquired by the Company in 2004. Following the acquisition, he was appointed to Southern Community's Board of Directors, bringing with him the knowledge of The Community Bank's operations and ensuring that the transistion following the transaction ran smoothly. Mr. Brown's extensive knowledge of community banking as well as general business operations is coupled with his large network of contacts in the communities in which the Company operates. As a board member, Mr. Brown is often instrumental in fostering new business development which benefits the Company.
James Frye is the former Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of The Community Bank, which was acquired by the Company in 2004. Following the transaction, Mr. Frye was named a director of the Company. Mr. Frye has served on the Board of Directors of the Bankers Bank in Atlanta, Georgia a well as on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Bankers Association. Mr. Frye currently serves, by appointment of the Governor of North Carolina, as a member of the State Banking Commission, which supervises and regulates the financial services industry. Mr. Frye has extensive knowledge of banking laws, regulatory issues, and risk management and brings this set of skills and qualifications to his role as director of the Company.
Lynn Lane is a finance professional with over thirty years experience in senior financial roles for a major U.S. publicly held corporation ranked in the top U.S. "Fortune 500" company classification in terms of revenue. During her career, Ms. Lane managed all treasury functions for this company in addition to corporate finance, banking and credit agency relationships, pension fund management, financial risk management, insurance, credit, receivables and cash management. These responsibilities provided Ms. Lane with the analytical ability to understand how a bank functions in addition to the strategic insight gained from her in-depth experience leading the finance strategy of a major public corporation. These skills were a major consideration in her appointment to the Company's Board of Directors. Based on her finance skills, the Board recruited Ms. Lane specifically to serve as the Company's Audit Committee Chair. She currently serves in that role and as one of three Audit Committee Financial Experts.
Lee Merritt has practiced law in the Company's geographical area for over thirty years. Mr. Merritt's private law practice includes real estate, corporate law, estate law and litigation. Mr. Merritt served on The Community Bank Board of Directors at the time it was acquired by the Company in 2004. As a result, he was appointed to the Company's Board of Directors, bringing with him the knowledge of The Community Bank and acted to ensure a smooth transition following the transaction. Through his local presence and close relationship with many of our customers, Mr. Merritt is in a position to provide the Board of Directors insight on local economic issues, business trends, and growth opportunities for the Company. Mr. Merritt's legal background and past experience in a broad range of business and legal situations gives him the ability to evaluate and apply his oversight capability to the Board of Directors, particularly where legal issues arise. Further, given his legal training, Mr. Merritt brings an indepth understanding of corporate governance best practices and applies this knowledge and expertise to the Company's boardroom dynamics. Mr. Merritt serves as Chair of the Company's Trust Committee.
William Ward is an established physician and long standing member of the local community served by the Company. Dr. Ward was one of the original founders of the Bank and was a member of Southern Community's initial Board of Directors assembled in 1996 following the creation of the Bank. As a founding board member, Dr. Ward eas extensively involved in the founding and creation of another community bank in 1982. He was recruited to the Company's Board of Directors at the time the Bank was being formed because of his knowledge and expertise in "start-up" banking structure and processes. As a local physician and member of the community, Dr. Ward is able to provide the Company's Board of Directors with insight into local community trends and economic issues. Dr. Ward is Chair of the Company's Investment Committee which coordinates and provides policy oversight on the Company's investment strategy and operations and the Company's capital structure.
Sam Smoak is a Certified Public Accountant and has held this certification for over 35 years. He is currently President of an architectural building supply company with operations in several southeastern cities and has participated in building two separate commercial construction products companies through a series of acquisitions. Over his career, Mr. Smoak has served as Chief Financial Officer of both privately and publicly held corporations and practiced as a CPA with one of the nation's largest public accounting firms. He brings techical knowledge of bank operations and related financial metrics and analysis to the Company's Board of Directors. Mr. Smoak's experience in public company finance and related capital market relationships and regulatory filings allows him to advise and offer guidance as the Company's senior management and its Board of Directors review financial results and prepare external communication for the investment community. Mr. Smoak serves as an Audit Committee Financial Expert.
Beverly Godfrey is a second generation leader in the residential real estate business, working with the local communities in which the Company operates. The Board recruited Ms. Godfrey because of her in-depth knowledge of the residential real estate industry and local real estate trends, including a special interest and expertise in technological innovations relevant to that industry. Ms. Godfrey provides the Board of Directors with strategic information regarding the current and future local real estate market, which allows the Board insight into a sector that has significantly impacted the Bank's business during the current economic cycle.
Stephen Robertson is President and CEO of a major industrial company headquarted in North Carolina. He also spent eighteen years in the telecommunications and broadcast industries, giving him significant experience in the operational and finance aspects of running large corporations. The Board of Directors recruited Mr. Robertson in 2008 to gain from his corporate background and management experience. Mr. Robertson is very active in the local community, serving on the board of directors for many not-for-profit entities and charitable organizations, including membership on the board of Winston-Salem's largest employer, WFU Baptist Hospital. As a local business and community leader, Mr. Robertson's insight on local business trends and economic conditions is valuable to the Company. As a result of his extensive financial experience, Mr. Robertson serves as an Audit Committee Financial Expert.
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