Summit Bank Promotes Chris Hemmings to Chief Operating Officer

EUGENE, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Craig Wanichek, President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Bank (OTC Pink: SBKO) today announced the promotion of Chris Hemmings to Chief Operating Officer of the Bank, effective immediately.

Hemmings has been with Summit Bank since 2008 and has served in various capacities, most recently as Senior Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer and before that Controller. “With over 13 years of experience with Summit, Chris is the ideal choice for this position,” says Wanichek. “His knowledge of company culture, banking, risk management, finance, compliance, and operations is exceptional. He has strong leadership abilities both in the office and in our community. Promoting Chris means we are positioning Summit Bank for continued growth and long-term success.”

Hemmings is involved in philanthropic work throughout Lane County. He is a member of the Board of Directors of FOOD for Lane County and participates in the non-profit’s Budget and Finance Committee. He volunteers with the United Way of Lane County. He is a member of the Government Relations Committee of the Oregon Banker’s Association. He is a former recipient of the 20 Under 40 awards, which honors Lane County’s Top young leaders. In 2020, he was listed as a Top 40 under 40 bankers in the Country, according to Independent Banker, the flagship publication of Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA). The nomination-based award recognizes up-and-coming community bankers who demonstrate exceptional potential in leadership, innovation, and community work.

A native of the United Kingdom, Hemmings moved to Oregon to attend the University of Oregon, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree and Honors in both Economics and Political Science. At Summit, he serves as Chair of the Bank’s Operations Committee, which evaluates and guides efforts that support Summit Bank’s strategic operational initiatives, and as Chair of the Bank’s Compliance Committee. In this new role, Hemmings will oversee Operations, Compliance, Human Resources, Loan Servicing and Documentation, and I.T. Services.

Summit Bank, with offices in Eugene/Springfield, Central Oregon, and the Portland Metropolitan area, specializes in providing high-level service to professionals and medium-sized businesses and their owners. Summit was recognized in 2020 as the Top Small Business Administration (SBA) Community Bank Lender in the State of Oregon. Summit Bank is quoted on the NASDAQ Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board as SBKO.