Management Team
Thomas E. Smith
President & Chief Executive Officer
Tom has 33 years of experience in commercial banking, including experience in other new community banks. Prior to starting the organization of The Gate City’s Community Bank (proposed), Tom was Vice President and Commercial Relationship Manager with Capital Bank in their Greensboro and Burlington offices. Prior to working with Capital Bank, Tom was employed by the Organizers of Carolina Bank in Greensboro during its organizational phase and later served as that bank’s Senior Vice President and Relationship Banking Manager. Tom also served as Vice President of The Community Bank, Pilot Mountain, North Carolina with responsibilities primarily in that bank’s lending and credit administration. Tom began his banking career in 1974 with First Union National Bank (now Wachovia Bank), where he was employed for 12 years and last served as Assistant Vice President and Consumer Banking Manager. Tom has a history of actively serving on numerous community and civic boards including The University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Education Advisory Board, Kiwanis Club of Greensboro, the Board of Visitors of The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the Board of Directors of Fellowship Hall Treatment Center in Greensboro and the United Way of Greater Greensboro’s annual campaign. He anticipates continuing the same level of commitment to the Greensboro community. Tom is a native of Graham, NC and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Elon University. He is a graduate of the Leadership Greensboro Program as well as the NC Bankers Association Advanced Management School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Tom is married to Toni F. Knight and they have 3 children and 5 grandchildren.
Phone: 336.272.2922, ext. 222
Email:
Kathy K. Arledge, CPA
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Kathy is a native of the Triad and a graduate of Appalachian State University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. She is also a North Carolina licensed Certified Public Accountant. Kathy started her 15 year career in public accounting, performing internal and external audits of financial institutions and for the last 12 years has served in the finance area of community banks in Georgia and North Carolina. She most recently was the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer with TriStone Community Bank in Winston-Salem, NC and prior to that, Assistant Vice President and Chief Financial Officer with Home Savings Bank in Eden, NC. Kathy is a 2006 graduate of the Advanced Program of the NC School of Banking at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and now serves as an instructor of the 4th year Bank Simulation program. Kathy has two daughters and is an active member of her community serving on numerous community and civic organization boards.
Phone: 336.272.2922, ext 223
Email:
Laura L. Mims
Vice President, Marketing, Human Resources and Training Officer
Laura is a graduate of Appalachian State University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Management. Laura is also a graduate of the ABA’s School of Bank Marketing at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She started her career with F&M Bank in Granite Quarry, NC as Assistant Vice President and Marketing Officer. She later became the managing partner of a Management Services Organization in Salisbury, NC that provided information technology and financial management services to physicians and hospitals throughout North Carolina. Most recently, Laura served as the Marketing & Development Director for Community Theatre of Greensboro. Laura and her husband, George N. Arnold, are both Greensboro natives and are both active in Greensboro civic and arts organizations.
Phone: 336.272.2922
Email: