
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, September 29, 1994                   TAG: 9409290050
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

EX-ROANOKER NAMED CEO OF FIRST VA. BARRY FITZPATRICK KNOWN AS `INSPIRATIONAL'

First Virginia Banks Inc., Falls Church parent of First Virginia Bank-Southwest, on Wednesday named Barry J. Fitzpatrick to succeed Robert H. Zalokar as chairman and chief executive officer, effective Jan. 1.

Fitzpatrick, 54, was president of First Virginia's Roanoke bank from 1972 to 1982.

"He is a real dynamic motivator and an inspirational leader," said Connie W. Stanley, a vice president of First Virginia Bank-Southwest who worked with Fitzpatrick for nine years.

His "motivation came from knowing we were all a team, and we wanted the team to do well. We strove to live up to his expectations," she said.

Zalokar is retiring at the end of the year after 39 years with the multibank holding company, which has assets of $7.2 billion. He has been chairman and chief executive officer since 1985.

Fitzpatrick joined First Virginia in 1969 and worked in various officer positions with the lead bank in Falls Church before being named president of its Roanoke bank. In 1982, he was promoted to senior vice president of the holding company.

First Virginia has about 400 employees in its Roanoke Valley bank and operations center.

Staff writer Claudine WIlliams contributed to this story.

by CNB