First National Bank Alaska Leaders Advance to New Roles

Chief Commercial Lending Officer Darren Franz was promoted to Chief Credit Officer and appointed Senior Executive Officer. Franz oversees FNBA’s lending division, including the combined branch, corporate lending, central loan processing and corporate services departments and the Specialty Lending Unit. Franz holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics and is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School. Franz has managed retail and business banking in sixteen different Alaska communities.

Chief Administrative Officer Cheri Gillian was appointed Senior Executive Officer. Gillian oversees the central administration division, including the bank’s corporate communication and customer experience, human resources, and audit departments, and the wealth management section. An Alaskan for more than fifty years, Gillian has spent nearly thirty-five of those years building FNBA’s brand and helping shape the bank’s unique workplace culture. Gillian helped launch and formalize the bank’s relationship management program, facilitates the bank’s strategic planning activities, provides administrative oversight to support bank-wide initiatives, and serves as the board secretary.

Chief Banking Officer Ryan Strong was appointed Senior Executive Officer. Strong oversees the retail banking and treasury management division, including the treasury management and Anchorage branch administration and mortgage lending departments and the loan servicing section. Some of those duties were previously performed by the bank president. Strong brings more than twenty years of hands-on operations experience and detailed knowledge of Alaska’s economy. He is co-chair of the bank’s COVID-19 emergency response team, responsible for creating and implementing FNBA’s response to the pandemic.