Carolina First names interim president

By Dick Hughes  

MARCH 4, 2010 11:17 a.m. (2)

Christopher S. Gompper has been named interim president of Carolina First.

The appointment was announced by H. Lynn Harton, president and chief executive officer of The South Financial Group, holding company for Carolina First and Mercantile Bank in Florida.

Gompper fills the position left vacant when Scott Frierson resigned in September. Frierson had been appointed in June 2008 to replace Maurice J. Spagnoletti.

“We are pleased to have someone with Chris’ depth of experience and solid balance of sales, banking and strategy in this position,” said Harton.

Gompper, who joined TSFG in 2005, has been responsible for bank strategy, business segment performance, treasury and merchant services, brokerage and trusts and marketing and branch administration.

He will continue to oversee many of these functions, although Ernie Diaz, president of Mercantile Bank, will assume responsibility for commercial performance and delivery functions, the company said.

“I am delighted to take on this new role, particularly given our talented and dedicated team,” Gompper said.

Prior to joining Carolina First, Gompper managed treasury and card service sales for AmSouth Bank in Birmingham, Ala., and before that was in management positions with a variety of banks, including Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase.

He has 25 years of experience in banking.