First Farmers and Merchants Bank—a bank with 22 locations in seven Middle Tennessee counties—promoted Stephen K. Hughes to Chief Operations Officer.

In his new role, Hughes will be responsible for the operational support of all the Bank’s lines of business, ensuring the efficiency necessary to support long-term business objectives. He will also oversee the evolution and adoption of new technology-driven payment solutions.

“Stephen began his career at First Farmers 22 years ago and has excelled in each leadership role that he has undertaken,” said Brian K. Williams, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First Farmers. “With his wealth of knowledge, he will provide strategic leadership supporting our vision to deliver best-in-class financial products and services to our customers. We are truly grateful for Stephen’s longstanding commitment to First Farmers, and we look forward to the energy and fresh perspective he will bring to his new responsibilities.”

Throughout his time with the Bank, Hughes has served in various roles, including Electronic Banking Officer, Chief Wealth Management Officer, Senior Commercial Banking Officer and Chief Payments Officer. This journey has enabled him to gain the experience and knowledge to lead First Farmers as advancements in technology transform the banking landscape. Notably, Hughes led the team that worked tirelessly to assist the Bank’s customers with the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) during the COVID-19 pandemic. His contributions were crucial to ensuring that customers were supported during such a tumultuous time.

“It has been very meaningful growing my career within this company,” Hughes said. “I am proud to be a part of such an experienced team at First Farmers which truly has the best interest of the communities we serve at heart.”

As of June 30, First Farmers reported total assets of approximately $2.0 billion.