2021 Board Chair: Jeff O’Connor

Jeff O’Connor is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Commercial Real Estate Finance for First Citizens Bank & Trust Company.

After starting his banking career in Atlanta, O’Connor made his way to Savannah in 2010 and joined First Citizens in 2013. In his current role, he works with institutional real estate owners and developers, financing both development and acquisitions for properties across the southeast.

O’Connor received his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Georgia and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame.

As a proud graduate of Leadership Savannah, O’Connor has also served our community through other volunteer roles with the Savannah Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Royce Learning Center, and Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church among others.

Now in his third term on the United Way of the Coastal Empire’s Board of Directors, O’Connor has served three years as Chair of the Community Investments Committee—working year-round to help facilitate our annual, volunteer-driven investment process, monitor program progress and provide technical assistance and support for program grantees, and build capacity for all nonprofit organizations throughout our region through ongoing learning opportunities and the Foundation Directory Online grant funding resource.

Along with his wife Ellen and their two daughters, Clara & Alice, Jeff is proud to call Savannah home.