GALLIPOLIS — Jeffrey E. Smith, chairman of the board of Ohio Valley Bank and Ohio Valley Banc Corp. (OVBC), announced the promotion of Tommy R. Shepherd to executive vice president and secretary of Ohio Valley Bank and senior vice president and secretary of OVBC.

Shepherd, a native of Lawrence County, is a graduate of Symmes Valley High School. He holds a bank marketing diploma from Miami University, a customer service diploma from the American Institute of Banking, and a diploma from the Bank Leadership Institute.

Shepherd began his career at Ohio Valley Bank in 1984 as a teller and through the years has held various roles in deposit management, marketing, and training. He is a three-time winner of the Instructor of the Year award for the bank’s internal continuing education program.

Shepherd also played key roles in the bank’s debut of in-store branches in 1996, the launch of NetTeller internet banking and the bank’s first Website in 2000, and more recently the development of the bank’s popular cash-back Rewards Checking and high-yield Prime Investment accounts. Shepherd’s base of operations will continue to be the main office located in downtown Gallipolis.

In his community, Shepherd is a member of the Symmes Valley Local Board of Education, serving Symmes Valley High School, his alma mater. He is a member and past board president of McDaniel Crossroads Church of Patriot.

Ohio Valley Banc Corp. is headquartered in Gallipolis. The primary subsidiaries of the company are: Ohio Valley Bank and Loan Central. Ohio Valley Bank is an FDIC-insured, state member bank of the Federal Reserve operating 18 offices in Ohio and West Virginia. Loan Central, specializing in tax preparation and loans, is a finance company with six offices in southern Ohio.

Ohio Valley Banc Corp. stock is traded on The NASDAQ Global Market under OVBC.