News

March 14, 2006

BankFIRST Announces New Vice President/Regional Commercial Loan Officer

Winter Park, Florida –Donald J. McGowan, President and CEO of BankFIRST, announced today that Paula Zahn has joined the BankFIRST Commercial Lending Department in the role of Vice President / Regional Commercial Loan Officer. “We are very excited to welcome Paula to BankFIRST. Her commitment to cultivating business and individual banking relationships makes her a terrific addition to our team,” McGowan said.

“We are very pleased to introduce Paula to our BankFIRST clients in Winter Garden, Eustis and Clermont. Her focus on both consumer and commercial lending is a perfect fit for her new role,” said David A. Felker, BankFIRST Executive Vice President and Commercial Group Leader.

Zahn’s banking and financial services background spans over 19 years, beginning in 1987 at BancFlorida in Naples. Throughout her career, she has gained extensive experience in the areas of commercial lending, community involvement, and new business development. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President of AmericanFirst Bank, a de novo bank based in Clermont. In addition, Zahn previously spent 14 years with SunTrust in the areas of Private Banking, Marketing and Branch Management.

A graduate of the University of Florida, Zahn earned her B.A. in Business Administration in 1986. Her community involvement is evidenced through her leadership roles as Director for the South Lake Chamber of Commerce and the Clermont Kiwanis Club, as well as Treasurer of the South Lake Hospital Board of Trustees. Throughout her professional career, she has also served on the Disney Service Awards Committee, successfully completed Leadership Lake County, and was named 1999 “Volunteer of the Year” by the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission. Zahn and her family currently reside in Clermont.

About BankFIRST

BankFIRST is headquartered at 1031 West Morse Blvd. in Winter Park, and has branch offices in Apopka, Clermont, Eustis, Goldenrod, Sanford, and Winter Garden. BankFIRST has assets of more than $300 million and was founded as a community owned commercial bank in 1989.

For more information on BankFIRST, visit www.bankfirst.com.