OXFORD, Miss. — FNB Oxford Bank has a successor lined up for its top job. Directors tapped Peyton Atchley, the bank’s longtime finance chief and an executive vice president, to become president and CEO on May 1, 2027, the day after Johnny Barrett retires.
Atchley has spent close to two decades at the Oxford bank. He started in 2007 as controller and has run its finances as CFO for more than 10 years, which the bank expects will make the handoff smooth for staff and customers.
Barrett took the helm in 1998. Over his tenure, the bank grew from $140 million in assets to $925 million and moved outside Lafayette County for the first time, adding Lee County in 2007 and then Yalobusha County in 2024. FNB now runs seven branches across those three North Mississippi counties.
Atchley holds two University of Mississippi degrees, a Bachelor of Accountancy plus a Master of Taxation,, holds a CPA license and sits on the Oxford Reserve and Trust board. As CFO he has overseen the bank’s full balance sheet and worked with senior leaders, directors and regulators on strategy.
Once in the chief executive role, Atchley plans to focus on returns for shareholders, a strong workplace for employees and service to customers in Oxford, Tupelo and Water Valley. He sees spending on both technology and staff as the key to offering big-bank products while keeping the personal relationships the bank is known for.
His years in charge also brought a switch from a national to a state charter in 2013 and the bank’s designation as a Community Development Financial Institution, a status the bank credits with fueling its recent growth. FNB traces its roots in Oxford to 1910 and remains an independent community bank.
Section: More Oxford MS business news
Filed under: Oxford MS Business News
