RALEIGH, N.C., July 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Matthew “Matt” G.T. Martin has joined First Citizens Bank as Chief Counsel. He is responsible for overseeing the company’s corporate and general bank legal functions, litigation management and advising executive management and its corporate board on legal matters. He will also hold the position of Corporate Secretary to the First Citizens BancShares Board of Directors.
“Matt is an exceptional legal professional who brings significant experience to First Citizens,” said Chief Risk Officer Lorie Rupp. “His background aligns with the expected direction of our growing company; he has advised on major corporate integration projects and is a former partner with a leading North Carolina firm that serves financial institutions. We are excited to have an accomplished in-house counsel like Matt who will provide us with valuable insight and guidance.”
Prior to joining First Citizens, Martin served as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. He was the chief federal law enforcement officer for the district, which encompasses 24 counties and approximately three million people in central North Carolina. He led the U.S. Department of Justice prosecution office responsible for all federal investigations and prosecutions in the Middle District.
Prior to serving as U.S. Attorney, Martin was Associate General Counsel of Duke Energy, where he was responsible for litigation, risk management and dispute resolution and chaired an internal leadership development program. Before joining Duke Energy, Martin was partner with the law firm of Smith Anderson in Raleigh, N.C. He began his legal career with the law firm of Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C.
Martin received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where he served as editor in chief of the North Carolina Law Review.
Martin has served in leadership positions on the boards of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, Meals on Wheels and the Marbles Kids Museum and on several committees of the North Carolina Bar Association. He also spent three years as chair of the Wake County Planning Board. He was raised in Jackson County, North Carolina, and is a graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Math. He and his family reside in Raleigh.
Founded in 1898 and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, First Citizens Bank serves customers at more than 500 branches in 19 states. First Citizens Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of First Citizens BancShares Inc. (Nasdaq: FCNCA), which had approximately $54 billion in assets as of March 31, 2021. BancShares and New York-based CIT Group Inc. have announced a pending merger of the two companies, subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals. For more information about First Citizens, visit firstcitizens.com. First Citizens Bank. Forever First®.
