Lauri A. Wood, CFO of Peoples Financial, the parent company of The Peoples Bank, will retire from the company. Wood’s intention to retire was publicly announced on Nov. 19, 2021. Wood will leave the company after more than 32 years of service. She has served as the CFO of the company since 1994.

Peoples Financial hired Leslie B. Fulton to replace Wood as CFO. Fulton began her employment with Peoples Financial on March 21. Fulton is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants.

Fulton has more than 15 years of accounting experience in the banking industry in southern Louisiana and almost two years of experience in public accounting. She has experience in financial institution financial reporting, working with regulatory authorities, asset liability management and credit loss analysis. A native of Gautier, MS, she will be continuing her career on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

“We are confident that Leslie will be a great addition to our management team,” Chevis C. Swetman, president and CEO of Peoples Financial and The Peoples Bank, said. “During the search process, she impressed us with her financial institution knowledge as well as her communication skills.”