Chuck Sulerzyski

MARIETTA — The president and chief executive officer will retire next year at Peoples Bancorp where his successor has been named, the bank has announced.

Chuck Sulerzyski, 66, will retire from each of Peoples and Peoples’ banking subsidiary, Peoples Bank, effective March 31. He also intends to retire from the boards of directors of Peoples and Peoples Bank on that same date, the bank said.

Tyler Wilcox, 44, will become the next president and CEO of Peoples and Peoples Bank and will be elected as a director of Peoples and Peoples Bank, effective April 1, filling the vacancy created on each board by Sulerzyski’s retirement, the bank said.

“It has been my great privilege to serve as the leader of Peoples the past 12 years,” said Sulerzyski. “I am proud of the organization we are today and the impact that we have had on our clients and our communities.”

Sulerzyski also said he was “thrilled” the board named Wilcox to be the next president and CEO.

Tyler Wilcox

“I have worked closely with Tyler in all aspects of the business during my tenure and am confident that Peoples will thrive under his leadership,” Sulerzyski said.

Wicox said he was honored for the opportunity.

“And I appreciate the confidence Chuck and the Board have shown in me,” Wilcox said. “I look forward to building upon the strong foundation and culture at Peoples as we continue to implement our strategic plans and pursue our vision of becoming the Best Community Bank in America.”

Sulerzyski joined Peoples as president and CEO in April 2011. Under his leadership, Peoples has grown from $1.8 billion in total assets as of March 31, 2011, to approximately $8.8 billion in total assets following Peoples’ merger with Limestone Bancorp Inc. on April 30.

He developed a culture at Peoples where the motto is “Working Together. Building Success.” Under his leadership, Peoples has established itself as a high performing community bank and an employer of choice in its markets.

The board has planned for the transition for several years and that Wilcox has demonstrated leadership and experience at Peoples to make him the ideal successor to Sulerzyski, Susan Rector, chairman of the board of Peoples, said.

“Tyler has excelled in a variety of leadership positions with Peoples and is highly respected within the organization,” Rector said. “We are proud of what Peoples has accomplished over the past 12 years under Chuck’s extraordinary leadership and are optimistic that the future will be even better.”

Wilcox has worked for Peoples since 2008. He will serve as senior executive vice president, chief operating officer, of each of Peoples and Peoples Bank in a transitional role and succeed Sulerzyski upon his retirement.

Wilcox has served in a variety of executive positions with Peoples and its subsidiaries over his 15 years with the organization. Since October 2020, he has served as executive vice president, community banking, of Peoples and Peoples Bank, and has been responsible for Peoples Bank’s business lines, including commercial banking, equipment leasing, insurance premium finance, consumer lending, retail and small business banking, trust and investment services, and insurance. A search is underway for Wilcox’s successor as executive vice president, community banking.

Prior to serving as executive vice president, community banking for Peoples and Peoples Bank, Wilcox was executive vice president, regional president, of Peoples Bank’s South Region, president of Peoples Insurance Agency, Peoples Bank’s senior vice president, director of human resources, Peoples Bank’s vice president, director of compensation and benefits and Peoples Bank’s associate counsel.

He has a bachelor’s of arts from Brigham Young University, a Master of Business Administration with finance concentration from Ohio University and a law degree from Ohio State University. He is licensed to practice law in Ohio.

Prior to joining Peoples Bank in 2008, Wilcox was an assistant city attorney in Columbus.

Peoples, headquartered in Marietta since 1902, has $7.3 billion in assets and 130 locations including 113 full-service bank branches in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland.