Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> January 21, 2002
RAYMOND H. MELCHER, JR., is Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer of First Leesport Bancorp, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary,
Leesport Bank. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of First Leesport
Wealth Management Inc., First Leesport Investment Group Inc., and Essick
& Barr Insurance, Inc., affiliate companies of First Leesport Bancorp
Inc. Prior to joining First Leesport, Mr. Melcher was President and
Chief Executive Officer of Security National Bank, a wholly owned
subsidiary of Harleysville National Corporation. Earlier in his career,
he was Executive Vice President of Keystone Financial Inc., and
President Chief Executive Officer of Pennsylvania National Bank, a
Keystone Financial affiliate, and Executive Vice President of National
Bank of Boyertown. He also spent approximately five years outside of
banking serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
of Hi-TECH Connections Inc., a computer networking company. Mr. Melcher
earned an MBA from Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, a Bachelor
of Arts degree in Economics from Kutztown State College, Kutztown PA,
and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Banking and Finance from Alvernia
College, Reading, PA. He has also attended numerous banking, financial
management and leadership development programs, including the Graduate
School of Consumer Banking at the University of Virginia, the National
Consumer Compliance School, and many others. He is active in many civic,
community, charitable and professional organizations. He currently
serves as Vice President of Finance of the Hawk Mountain Council Boy
Scouts of America, Board of Directors of West Reading/Wyomissing Rotary
Club, Vice President of Resource Development of the Kutztown University
Foundation, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Police Athletic
League, the YMCA of Reading-Berks, and the Berks County Chamber of
Commerce. He is an active fundraiser and has recently participated in
leadership roles with the Reading Public Museum, the Children's Home of
Reading and Berks County, American Red Cross, and numerous other
organizations. He also serves as Chairman of the Insurance Committee of
the Pennsylvania Bankers Association. Mr. Melcher was named the 2000
Business Leader of the Year in the large business category by the Berks
County Chamber of Commerce. Profile
Bancorp, Inc. that investors should focus on?
Mr. Melcher: The main development in 2001 was that we spent the
