ABINGDON, Va. – David Rhea has been named vice president/commercial loan officer and business development officer at the Glade Spring, Va., branch of Highlands Union Bank (HUB), a community banking system that serves parts of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.
In his new role, Rhea will manage existing banking relationships and develop new customer opportunities for HUB. He will serve HUB customers in Washington and Smyth counties, as well as other locations within the bank’s service areas. Rhea will also serve as interim branch manager at Glade Spring.
Rhea was employed at HUB from 1997 to 2007, initially serving as vice president and commercial loan officer at the Marion, Va., office and later as vice president/mortgage loan specialist working out of the bank’s headquarters in Abingdon. He has 11 additional years’ experience in the banking industry.
“We are pleased to welcome David back to the HUB team,” says Highlands Union Bank CEO Sam Neese. “He is well known in our area as a skilled professional, and I know our customers will appreciate his expertise and depth of knowledge as he assists with loans and introduces new customers to our line of services.”
A native and resident of Saltville, Va., Rhea attended R.B. Worthy High School and is a graduate of Emory & Henry College, Emory, Va., where he completed a bachelor’s degree in economics and management. He is also a graduate of the Virginia Bankers Association School of Bank Management at the University of Virginia.
“I am excited about ‘coming home’ to the Highlands Union Bank family,” Rhea says. “I say ‘coming home’ because that is exactly how I describe the internal relationships between employees and external relationships with our customers. I look forward to developing new relationships for the bank and becoming reacquainted with our existing customers. ”
Rhea is a member of the Smyth County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Smyth County Educational Foundation Board, Smyth Career and Technology Center Advisory Board, Mount Rogers Planning District Commission Loan Committee and Chilhowie United Methodist Church-Pastor Parrish Relations Committee.
About Highlands Union Bank
Highlands Union Bank has assets in excess of $600 million. The bank serves the region through its main office in Abingdon, Va., and 13 other locations in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. These include two branches each in Abingdon and Bristol, Va.; offices in Glade Spring and Marion, Va.; full-service locations in Boone and Banner Elk, N.C.; two branches in Sevierville, Tenn.; and offices in Rogersville, Blountville and Knoxville, Tenn.