ASHEVILLE: HomeTrust Bancshares Inc., the holding company of HomeTrust Bank, announced that C. Hunter Westbrook will assume the positions of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, and President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company, effective September 1, 2021.

At that time, Mr. Westbrook will also join the Boards of Directors of the Company and the Bank. Dana L. Stonestreet will continue to serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Chairman of the Bank.

Mr. Westbrook’s tenure with HomeTrust began in 2012 as Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer of the Company and the Bank. His promotion to CEO of the Bank and President of the Company is his third promotion since that time, placing him in a key leadership role to preside over further growth and to guide HomeTrust to additional success as a leading regional community bank.

Mr. Westbrook became Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company and the Bank in 2018 and President and Chief Operating Officer of the Bank in 2020. During his tenure, the Bank’s total consolidated assets have increased from $1.5 billion in 2012 to $3.6 billion on March 31, 2021.

“For almost ten years, Hunter’s leadership has been integral to the transformation of HomeTrust to a thriving regional commercial community bank,” said Mr. Stonestreet.

“When we converted to stock form in 2012, HomeTrust offered customers three lines of business in our western North Carolina locations. We were looking for the right individual to expand the Bank’s capabilities and offerings. Hunter quickly demonstrated his strategic and operational expertise and HomeTrust expanded into three more states – Tennessee, Virginia, and South Carolina – while expanding to ten lines of business to drive growth and stockholder value.

Throughout our time working together, I have enjoyed seeing how his astute mind brings focus to our work, ultimately creating stockholder value while remaining true to HomeTrust’s 95-year commitment to our employees, customers and communities.”

“I look forward to continuing – and accelerating – the Bank’s positive growth trajectory,” said Mr. Westbrook. “It is incumbent upon us that we not only meet, but that we anticipate, the needs of our customers. I am confident that the drive, dedication and enthusiasm of the HomeTrust team will enable us to deliver more value to our customers and stockholders.

The confidence Dana and the Board have demonstrated by this promotion is humbling and I enthusiastically embrace the opportunity to lead HomeTrust forward as a nimble, innovative, full-service commercial bank.”

Mr. Westbrook’s promotion comes on the heels of a major profitability improvement plan and balance sheet restructuring announced by the Company in June 2021. That plan included the prepayment of long-term borrowings, bringing the back-office Small Business Administration loan processes in-house and closing nine retail branches to increase pretax income by approximately $10 million.

Mr. Westbrook is a 30-year banking veteran who served as President and CEO of two community banks before joining HomeTrust. Mr. Westbrook also worked for nearly 20 years in various senior level positions with TCF Bank and its parent, TCF Financial Corporation. He earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management and holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting & Business from West Virginia University.

HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for HomeTrust Bank. As of March 31, 2021, the Company had total consolidated assets of $3.6 billion.