Peoples Bancorp in Marietta, Ohio, will have a new chief executive in 2024.
The $8.8 billion-asset company said Chuck Sulerzyski, who has been president and CEO since 2011, intends to retire on March 31. He will also step down as a director. Sulerzyski is 66.
Peoples — which has more than 100 branches across Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. — said in a press release Tuesday that Tyler Wilcox, Peoples' executive vice president of community banking, would succeed Sulerzyski and join the company's board on April 1.
Wilcox, 44, this week was named chief operating officer. Peoples called it a transitional role until he takes the reins next year.
Susan Rector, Peoples' chairman, said in the release that the board had planned for the transition for several years and that Wilcox's breadth of experience made him the ideal successor to Sulerzyski.
"Tyler has excelled in a variety of leadership positions with Peoples and is highly respected within the organization," Rector said. "We are proud of what Peoples has accomplished over the past 12 years under Chuck's extraordinary leadership and are optimistic that the future will be even better."
Wilcox joined Peoples in 2008. Previously, he held several leadership positions at the company, including regional president, director of human resources and head of the company's insurance agency. A licensed lawyer, he also was the bank's associate counsel. Earlier in his career, he was an assistant city attorney for Columbus, Ohio.
Peoples said it is searching for a new executive vice president of community banking.
During Sulerzyski's tenure, Peoples swelled in size through both organic growth and a series of acquisitions. It grew nearly fivefold in asset size. Most recently, Peoples closed its
Limestone marked Peoples'
"It has been my great privilege to serve as the leader of Peoples the past 12 years," Sulerzyski said. "I am proud of the organization we are today and the impact that we have had on our clients and our communities.
"And I am thrilled that the board has named Tyler as my successor," he added. "I have worked closely with Tyler in all aspects of the business during my tenure and am confident that Peoples will thrive under his leadership."
