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FirstBank completes purchase of Northwest Georgia Bank, names new executives

File photo / FirstBank's downtown Chattanooga office at 4th and Chestnut streets is one of two local branches.
File photo / FirstBank's downtown Chattanooga office at 4th and Chestnut streets is one of two local branches. File photo / FirstBank's downtown Chattanooga office at 4th and Chestnut streets is one of two local branches.

By Staff Report 2 min read

photo Jim McKenzie

FirstBank has completed its acquisition of Northwest Georgia Bank and named two veteran local bankers to head the bank in Chattnaooga.

The existing six Northwest Georgia Bank branches, four in Hamilton County and two in Catoosa County, will operate under the name Northwest Georgia Bank, a division of FirstBank, until the systems conversion is completed by next May.

photo Rick Partain

FirstBank Chattanooga President Jim McKenzie will head up the four Northwest Georgia Bank branches in the Chattanooga market in addition to the two existing FirstBank branches, both of which opened in 2008.

Northwest Georgia Bank veteran, Rick Partain, has been named North Georgia President and will lead FirstBank’s North Georgia operations, with the goal of making Northwest Georgia Bank the premier choice for banking within North Georgia.

“We are fortunate to have someone with Rick’s local banking experience to provide leadership in North Georgia,” said Chris Holmes, FirstBank president and CEO. “FirstBank’s approach in all of our markets, large and small, has been to allow as many decisions as possible to be made at the local level by people who know their communities and their customers.”