Jude Melville, president and CEO of b1BANK, announced N. Jerome “Jerry” Vascocu, Jr. as Chief Administrative Officer for Business First Bancshares, Inc. and b1BANK. Vascocu will be the first chief administrative officer for the bank. He has over twenty-seven years of banking experience, most recently serving as director of commercial banking strategy for First Horizon Bank.

In his recent role at First Horizon Bank, Jerry led the development and implementation of client-focused strategies for commercial banking teams across the bank's 12-state region. During his 17-year career at IBERIBANK and First Horizon, Vascocu also served as Acadiana market president in Lafayette, La., Central Arkansas market president in Little Rock, Ark. and commercial relationship manager and team leader in Baton Rouge, La.

Vascocu is also a board member of Ochsner Lafayette General Hospital, Ochsner Lafayette General Foundation, Ragin Cajuns Athletic Foundation at the University of Louisiana Lafayette and is a member and past chairman of the Louisiana Chapter of Young Presidents Organization International. He has previously served as chairman of the board and finance chair of One Acadiana, commissioner with the Louisiana Economic Development Authority (LEDA), board member and chair of the Operational Excellence Committee for the United Way of Acadiana, chairman of the Ascension Episcopal School Board of Trustees and board member of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette B.I. Moody School of Business Advisory Council. Vascocu earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Vanderbilt University and currently resides in Lafayette, La.