McFarland named chairman 

Tryon Federal Bank announced that Ray Foster will retire as chairman of the Tryon Federal bank

Board of Directors on Dec. 1 and F.K. McFarland, III will assume the chairman position.

Foster was an employee of Tryon Federal Bank for 35 years, serving as president for 15 years. In addition, he has served on the board of Tryon Federal Bank since 1978. In addition to his service at Tryon Federal, Foster served as past chairman and remains an active member of the Polk County Democratic party. He is also a member and past deacon at Pacolet Baptist Church. In January 1994, Foster was named Man of the Year by the Thermal Belt Area Chamber of Commerce.

In 2011, the Tryon Youth Center and Tryon Federal Bank announced an annual $1,000 scholarship in honor of Foster. The Ray Foster scholarship is awarded to a Polk County area high school student pursuing a college or vocational educational degree. Tryon Federal Bank President Jerry Johnson said, “Ray has been a pillar of the entire Polk County community, giving back selflessly for the past five decades. We are thrilled to be able to honor Ray and contribute to the ongoing education of our area youth.”

In honor of Foster’s tireless service to Tryon Federal Bank and the community, he has been named the first Chairman Emeritus of Tryon Federal Bank.

As the new chairman, F.K. McFarland brings 12 years of board experience with Tryon Federal Bank. He also currently serves on the Board of Directors of HomeTrust Bank. McFarland is the third-generation owner and president of McFarland Funeral Chapel in Tryon. He is a native of Polk County and has given back to his community by serving on numerous boards, including 11 years as a Board of Trustee for St. Luke’s Hospital, chairman and member of the N.C. Zoning Board of Tryon, board member of Hospice of the Carolina Foothills and Polk County Chamber of Commerce board member.

Tryon Federal Bank, founded in 1935, is a member of the HomeTrust Banking Partnership, a community-oriented financial institution with $1.7 billion in assets as of June 30, 2012.  Tryon Federal offers traditional lending, deposit and investment services to individuals and businesses through its Columbus and Tryon banking centers.

– article submitted by Stacie Hicks