Robert J. Barnes, President and CEO of PriorityOne Bank, recently announced the hire of Jennifer Rodgers as Vice President and Director of Internal Audit. Barnes stated, “Jennifer brings a wealth of experience in internal audit and a deep understanding of bank operations. Her professionalism, attention to detail, and collaborative approach will be a valuable addition to our leadership team.”
Rodgers brings more than 30 years of banking experience to PriorityOne Bank, including 21 years dedicated to internal audit. Most recently, she served as Internal Audit Manager and Senior Vice President at The First Bank, where she played a key role in maintaining strong risk management practices and regulatory compliance.
Rodgers began her banking career in 1993 with First National Bank of Wiggins. Throughout her career, she gained hands-on experience across nearly every area of bank operations, including customer support, teller and customer service roles, proof and items in process, system updates, reconciliations, wire transfers, Fedline, and ACH processing. She began her audit career in 2004 and continued in that role following First National Bank of Wiggins’ acquisition by The First Bank in 2006. During her 21-year audit career, Rodgers worked closely with executive management, audit committees, external auditors, and regulatory agencies.
In her role at PriorityOne Bank, Rodgers will oversee the internal audit function, working closely with departments across the bank to support operational integrity, regulatory compliance, and the protection of shareholder assets.
Rodgers earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi. She is a member of the Global Institute of Internal Auditors, holds the Designated Internal Audit Practitioner credential, and is also a member of the Gulf Coast Internal Audit Peer Group.
“I am excited to join PriorityOne Bank and to work alongside such a dedicated team,” Rodgers said. “Having spent my career in community banking, I understand the importance of strong internal controls and teamwork. I look forward to playing my part in supporting the bank’s mission and safeguarding our shareholders’ assets for years to come.”
Rodgers is actively involved in Pretty in Pink, a Stone County organization dedicated to breast cancer awareness. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and recently received confirmation that she is now considered cured.
She resides in Perkinston, with her husband of nearly 31 years, Brian Rodgers, a Purchasing Manager with BIORIGIN Specialty Products in Wiggins. They have a son, Colin Rodgers, who joined the U.S. Navy in 2025 and lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with his wife, Bella, and their daughter, Hadleigh and a stepson, Keith Hickman, who lives in Marlow, Oklahoma, with his fiancé, Hailee, and their children, Gavin and Kennedy.
PriorityOne Bank, based in Magee, Mississippi, operates seventeen offices in thirteen Mississippi communities: Collins, Seminary, Sumrall, Hattiesburg, Purvis, Magee, Mendenhall, Richland, Brandon, Flowood, Ridgeland, Gluckstadt, Pelahatchie, and Morton. The bank has assets of over $1.1 Billion.