Bethany bank gets new president

First Bethany Bank & Trust recently added a new president.

Priscilla Cude was elected president and CEO of First Bethany Bank & Trust at the annual meeting of its board of directors on June 20, the bank said. Cude, previously the bank’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, began her new role Saturday. She will also continue in her post as CFO, according to the release.

First Bethany Bank & Trust was founded in 1904 as Farmers State Bank of Wheatland and is one of Oklahoma’s oldest independent community banks, according to the release.

Cude has been with the bank, whose main office is located at 6500 NW 39 Expressway in Bethany, since 1992, according to the release. She has served as executive vice president and a member of the board since 2002. Cude is also a board member of the Oklahoma Banker’s Association and Bethany Improvement Foundation, among other positions she holds outside of the bank, according to the release.

She is succeeding Jane Haskin, who has worked in the position for 11 years. Haskin will stay on as a director of the bank. Haskin said in a statement the bank’s staff is competent and in good hands going forward.

Haskin also pointed to the growth the bank had made under her own leadership. She said the bank’s total assets grew from about $125 million to the $200 million range since she began in May 2006. First Bethany Bank & Trust’s capital has also grown more than $8 million over that time, she said in the statement.

“I believe the bank is in a very good position for future growth,” Haskin said.

“I believe Priscilla is fully prepared and capable of leading the bank toward continuing success,” she said. “She has my total support as she begins her new role.”