The granddaughter of H. Gary Morse has announced she is stepping down from the family-owned Citizens First Bank.
Lindsey Blaise, daughter of Tracy Morse, has served for seven years as the president and CEO of the bank. Blaise cited a desire to spend more time with her three young children, in a story published Thursday morning in The Villages Daily Sun. Blaise will remain on the bank’s board of directors. She was named the bank’s president in 2017.
She will be succeeded by Jay Bartholomew, the bank’s executive vice president and chief banking officer.
Blaise stepped out of her comfort zone in 2023 when she danced her way to the top prize in the 17th annual Stepping Out for Education contest, winning the Mirrorball Trophy. In one performance, she dressed up as Marilyn Monroe and emerged from a cake.
Blaise’s husband, Bryn Blaise, serves on the board of trustees at Lake Sumter State College.