Movin’ on up! Bank Independent promotes eight

SHEFFIELD – There seems to be a trend happening at Bank Independent. Promotions.

Several internal bank team members – eight to be exact – have been promoted in recent weeks, and it cannot go without notice that Bank Independent seems to offer a lot of opportunities for women this go-round.

Mary Harrelson, Amanda Hicks, Paris Johnston, Sondra Koskey, Hillary Logan, Mary Messer, Ann Collins Mockbee, and Tammy Pratt have all been elevated to higher management and executive leadership roles.

“Each of these team members exhibit the qualities of a servant leader and help us fulfill our mission to make a positive difference and achieve our vision to be the bank of choice in the communities we serve,” said Rick Wardlaw, CEO of Bank Independent. “They work hard to develop strong relationships with customers and team members and truly care about making a positive difference in the lives of others.

“I am pleased to see each of them continue to grow their careers with Bank Independent.”

• Harrelson has been promoted to Vice President of Internal Audit and Compliance CRA. She joined the Bank in 2003 and has developed a 20-year career working as an Internal Audit Officer focused on oversight of the Internal Audit function within the organization. In 2021, Harrelson began oversight of Compliance and CRA for the Bank. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from UNA 1998 and her MBA with a concentration in Accounting in 2000. She holds certifications in CFSA and CRMA.
• Hicks has been promoted to Vice President Sales Officer at the downtown Huntsville sales office. She joined the Bank Independent team in March 2021 and has more than 15 years’ experience in banking, she most recently served as Assistant Vice President Sales Officer. Hicks is originally from Huntsville but graduated from Hoover High School in Birmingham. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Athens State University.
• Johnston has been promoted to Risk Officer. Paris joined the bank in 2014 as a part-time teller before interning with both the BSA and Security departments. She found her fit at with the Security Team in 2016. Johnston earned a bachelor’s in criminal justice from UNA in 2016, followed by her master’s degree in safety and security leadership in 2019. She also obtained her accreditation as a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) in 2021.
• Koskey has been promoted to Internal Communications Officer. She joined the Bank Independent team in 2018 as the Advertising & PR Manager. She most recently served as Internal Communications Leader under Team Member Care. Sondra holds a bachelor’s in communication from the University of Alabama. She is a member of P.E.O. International, a women’s philanthropic education organization and serves as president for local chapter AN.
• Logan has been promoted to Customer Service Officer. She joined Bank Independent in October 2006 as a part-time teller at the Sheffield sales offices. She grew through several sales office roles before joining the Customer Service team in 2019.
• Messer has been promoted to Officer – Sales Leader at the Killen sales office. She joined the bank in May 1988 as a part-time Teller. Over the course of her 35-year career with the organization, she has served as a Head Teller and Personal Banker prior to becoming a Sales Manager in 2002. Messer has served at the Killen office since its opening in 1999. She serves the Town of Killen as a member of the Board of Adjustments.
• Mockbee has been promoted to Assistant General Counsel. She joined the bank’s legal team in September 2017. Prior to joining the bank, she worked for five years as a personal trust relationship manager for a large wealth management group. Mockbee holds a B.S. in Finance with a specialization in accounting from the University of Alabama and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi. She currently serves as President of Junior League of the Shoals (JLS), Co-chair of JLS’ Touch A Truck fundraiser, as Secretary to the Paws Are Worth Saving rescue group, and as Treasurer to the Kappa Kappa Gamma Shoals alumni association.
• Pratt has been promoted to Treasury Solutions – Vice President Sales Officer. She joined the bank in June 2018 as a Treasury Solutions Sales Officer. She began her career as a bookkeeper before progressing into sales roles. Pratt has more than 30 years of banking industry experience with a strong background in merchant services and treasury.