Paul Denardo, CEO and chairman of National Bankshares Inc., will retire as CEO of the company and its wholly owned subsidiary, The National Bank of Blacksburg, effective June 30.
Ascending to CEO July 1 will be Lara Ramsey, who is currently the president of the company and the bank. The company announced the news March 31.
Denardo has been CEO of the company since 2017 and was president of the company until December. He joined the bank as a vice president in 1983 and has been an executive leader since 1989. Denardo, who will remain chairman of the boards of directors of the company and bank, will continue to provide expertise via a consulting agreement.
Denardo
“Brad has played a key role in our success for over 40 years. Under his leadership, National Bankshares has grown to serve new communities and has implemented successful strategies to deliver personalized financial services in an ever-changing marketplace. National Bankshares has also maintained its position as a top-tier community bank holding company under his guidance, during a period marked by global uncertainty and economic disruption,” Ramsey said in a news release. “It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with Brad for nearly 30 years, and we are delighted that he will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board and as a consultant to our organization after retiring. I am also humbled to have the opportunity to succeed Brad, and I look forward to carrying on the tradition of community banking excellence he has fostered.”
Ramsey joined National Bankshares in 1996 and was promoted to senior vice president for administration in 2011. In 2022, she became executive vice president and chief operating officer and in January was named president of the company and bank. She has managed the company’s investment, human resources, marketing, training, corporate administration and strategic planning functions during her career.
