BLANCHESTER — The First National Bank of Blanchester announced the recent promotions of Erin Whitaker and Connie Penquite.

Whitaker was promoted to Senior Vice President. She is a native of Blanchester, a graduate of Blanchester High School, and a 2000 graduate of Shawnee State University, where she received a bachelor of science degree. She received her bank operations diploma from the Center for Financial Training in 2008 and her master’s of business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University with a concentration in applied management in 2012.

She started at the bank in 2007 as Assistant Head Teller, was promoted to Assistant Cashier of Finance in 2009, and became Vice President of Operations in January 2014.

Connie Penquite was promoted to Assistant Vice President of Operations. She is also a native of Blanchester, a graduate of Blanchester High School, and a 1983 graduate of Southern State Community College, where she received an Associate of Science degree in Accounting.

She started at the bank in 1984 as a new account representative, left in 1995 and then returned in 2000 as an Administrative Assistant and was promoted to Executive Assistant in January of 2014.

The First National Bank of Blanchester is very proud of the fact that both of these ladies have been Blanchester Area Chamber of Commerce Business Woman of the Year recipients.