CEO Sites to retire from First National Bank of Mercersburg

MARELIN K. SITES

Marelin K. Sites, President & CEO, The First National Bank of Mercersburg, will retire on April 25, 2008, after 38 years of dedicated service.

Over her tenure Mrs. Sites has been involved in numerous community and banking organizations at the local, state and national levels. Peers and staff who have had the privilege of knowing or working alongside her, respect her outstanding abilities and especially her passion for helping people. Capping her banking career was the ultimate challenge in the role of President & CEO for 20 years. The bank has prospered under her leadership and is positioned to meet the challenges in the future. To her credit she has overseen the added facilities of North End Office, Greencastle Office, Chambersburg Office, Waynesboro Office, Scotland Office, Data Center and Mercersburg Financial Center during her tenure.

According to Chairman of the Board, Robert H. Hoffman, "As a fellow Board member, it's been my privilege to work closely with Mrs. Sites for over 13 years. Her faithful leadership of the Bank has been exemplary, as it has steadily grown during her tenure. Additionally she has graciously paved the way for a change in leadership. As Chairman, I am pleased she will continue to serve on the Board of Directors as we work together to take The First National Bank of Mercersburg to even greater heights."

When asked about her time with the Bank she offered the following comments, "I joined "FIRST" in April 1970 when we were a mere $8 million in Total Assets and I was a young, naive 22-year old joining the workforce to supplement the family income. When I enthusiastically accepted the CEO position in January 1988 at age 39, we had Total Assets of $42 million. And now twenty short years later our Total Assets are $140 million, I will be turning 60 years old and I am a Grandmother looking forward to spending my retirement with my family."

Sites continued, "Because my tenure with "FIRST" spans such a long period of time and consumed a huge portion of my life, it is impossible to mention all of the fond memories and wonderful people whom I have had the pleasure of knowing or working beside. Suffice it to say, the shareholders, staff, Board of Directors, customers, business associates, fellow bankers, and other friends will always have a special place in my memory as I retire from an industry that I have loved and enjoyed. No one person makes an organization successful. It's about teamwork, commitment and being passionate about what you're doing. Many on my team were part of my professional life for multiple decades. They are the ones who deserve the credit for the financial success of our company and I will miss their presence in my every day life.

When I joined the bank my "personal" goal was not to become successful, it was simply to try and make a difference. My hope is that in the history books of The First National Bank of Mercersburg that will be the conclusion."

Upon retirement Mrs. Sites is looking forward to her freedom from the limitations of a scheduled life. She enjoys golf, walking, gardening, spending time with her family and traveling. She gives all the credit for her long standing, successful career to her husband, Herk, whose encouragement was given unselfishly and the ongoing support of her son Todd and wife, Dawn and beloved Grandchildren - Ashton, Makayla and Ethan.

Her successor as CEO of The First National Bank of Mercersburg is Executive Vice President Robert J. Fignar. Mrs. Sites stated, " I ask for everyone's support of my successor as he now begins his journey at the helm of this great organization."