PANAMA CITY, Fla. – Feb. 27, 2023 – Regions Bank on Monday announced the elevation of veteran banking leader John O’Mera to serve as Regions’ market executive for Panama City and surrounding areas.
O’Mera joined Regions in 2010 and has served as Consumer Banking manager since 2015. In this role, he leads Regions’ branch-banking teams along the Emerald Coast, ensuring a consistent level of service that’s focused on helping people reach their own, unique financial objectives.
With the addition of the market executive’s role to his Consumer Banking responsibilities, O’Mera will now also bring together colleagues from Regions’ Wealth Management and Commercial Banking divisions to carry out the goals of Regions360. Regions360 is the bank’s comprehensive approach to providing holistic, customized service by ensuring representatives of Consumer Banking, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management are working collaboratively to deliver the full range of Regions’ financial capabilities to clients.
O’Mera is a 20-year veteran of branch banking in Bay County. He joined Regions in 2010 following seven years with Wells Fargo.
As market executive, O’Mera will also collaborate with colleagues and community members to identify opportunities for the bank to advance its key priorities for community engagement. Those priorities include fostering greater economic and community development, supporting education and workforce readiness, and helping build greater financial wellness across the Florida Panhandle.
O’Mera began his banking career in 2003 at Wells Fargo in Panama City.
“For 20 years, consumers, businesses and nonprofits alike have benefited from John O’Mera’s commitment to exceptional service and his deep understanding of how relationship banking helps people accomplish their financial goals,” said John Turner, President and CEO of Regions Financial Corp. “He’s a natural leader who’s invested in the career development of our associates and the financial success of our customers. In his expanded role as market executive, I am confident John will help our associates across all of our businesses serve our customers in Panama City, and he will provide leadership to make a meaningful difference through Regions’ community involvement across the Emerald Coast.”
O’Mera has been a longtime supporter of United Way of Northwest Florida and is a volunteer instructor with Junior Achievement of North Florida. He said he looks forward to strategically building on the bank’s work with nonprofits such as these, and others, that are creating more inclusive prosperity for people at all stages of life.
Regions reopened its Panama City Main location in late 2018 following extensive damage from Hurricane Michael. Regions Bank and the Regions Foundation, a nonprofit initiative funded primarily by Regions Bank, provided extensive community support in the months following the historic storm.
“I have a passion for helping children learn about the importance of managing money early in their lives, and I’m equally as passionate about creating affordable housing opportunities for more families in our community,” O’Mera said. “I see those as two of the greatest opportunities to leverage the resources of Regions Bank and the skills of our associates, who are well prepared to help people succeed financially. We live and work in this community, and we want to see everyone succeed. I’m honored to serve and help lead us on a mission to make life better for our neighbors.”
While each day brings new challenges and opportunities, O’Mera looks back at the aftermath and recovery from Hurricane Michael as a truly defining moment in the history of Panama City.
“It was the hardest thing many of us who live in this area have been through,” O’Mera reflected. “The impacts can still be seen. But what sticks with me the most is how we came together in unity to help people throughout Bay County and beyond. That’s the spirit of who we are. A lot of re-investment has taken place. Our role as a leader in the business community is to help individuals and community partners take their next steps, while ensuring more people are benefiting from our local economy and opportunities for growth moving forward.”
About Regions Financial Corporation
Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $155 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates more than 1,250 banking offices and more than 2,000 ATMs. Regions Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.