Adam Currie succeeded Michael Mayer as CEO of Southern Pines-based First Bank, officials said this week. Mayer, who has led the bank since 2015, will remain president of parent First Bancorp through early next year.
Currie is based in Greensboro, while Mayer is based at the Moore County headquarters.
Currie joined First Bank in 2015 after working for PNC, RBC and Bank of America. He is a Charlotte native with a bachelor’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill.
Currie “has demonstrated his astute knowledge of our business and industry and has been instrumental in positioning First Bank for another 90 years of success,” First Bancorp CEO Richard Moore said in a news release.
The release credited Currie as “a key driver of the bank’s success in multiple regions of our footprint as his territory has expanded over his tenure at the bank.” He had total compensation of $811,000 in 2023, making him the third-highest paid executive at First Bancorp, according to the company proxy.
Last May, First Bank hired Christian Wilson as chief operating officer, reporting to Currie. He’s an NC State University graduate who previously worked for Fiserv as a credit, fraud and risk executive.
First Bank has 113 branches in the Carolinas and assets of about $12 billion.
UNC Wilmington received a $25 million commitment from former professor Yousry Sayed and his wife, Linda, who has two degrees from the campus. It’s the biggest philanthropic commitment in the school’s history, Chancellor Aswani Volety said.
The commitment directs $20 million over five years for programs in medical education, clinical care, research and healthcare accessibility. Another $5 million is designated to programs to recruit prospective teachers and provide scholarships for individuals transitioning to a teaching career.
“The university is profoundly grateful for this historic gift from two deeply dedicated Seahawks,” Volety said in a release. “These dear friends believe in the power of higher education to transform lives, improve communities and create positive change in the world.”
Sayed called the gift “an investment in future teachers and healthcare professionals who will serve their communities. We want to empower students with the knowledge and skills to help others lead productive and fulfilling lives.
Sayed is co-founder and CEO of Quality Chemical Laboratories, a Wilmington-based company that serves the pharmaceutical industry. He was a UNCW professor of chemistry and biochemistry before starting his business. He has a master’s degree from Cairo University and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.
UNCW has more than 18,000 students. Volety was been chancellor since 2022.