Billy Hood has joined North State Bank’s Wilmington office as a commercial loan portfolio manager, officials announced in a news release

Hood relocated to the Wilmington area from Montgomery, Alabama where he worked for BankTrust and Regions Bank, officials said.

“Billy’s background as a commercial banker and as a credit analyst position him to excel at North State,” Sabrina Stephens, senior vice president and Wilmington market president, said in a news release. “The Wilmington market is enjoying growth, in part because of people like Billy who are relocating here to enjoy the business climate, pace of life and coastal living. Expanding our commercial banking team allows us to meet the growing needs of the community.”

A native of Havelock, North Carolina, Hood studied at Appalachian State University where he earned a bachelor of science in business administration with a major in finance.

“I enjoy the family-like atmosphere of a community bank,” Hood said in the release. “We are empowered to collaborate with other bankers and with our customers to create banking solutions that work for each individual and company we serve.”