A bank officer says she will run for the Catoosa school board seat being vacated by the board’s chairman.

Elsie Lockery, an assistant vice president and trust officer with SunTrust Bank in Chattanooga, will seek the District 2 post. Retiring school board chairman Sandy Hall, who holds that position, has said he would not seek re-election.

Lockery has lived in Lakeview for 27 years. She has two grown children who graduated from Cloud Springs Elementary School, Lakeview Middle School and Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School.

“The education of our children is the single most important issue facing the citizens of Catoosa County today,” Lockery said. “Having raised two children that were educated in our school system, I am committed to making Catoosa County’s schools the finest in the Georgia. I will do my very best to continue the high level of excellent service that Sandy Hall has provided for so many years to our community.”

Lockery served a two-year term on the Catoosa school board in 1997-98. She previously participated on the panel for the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School. She is a past president of the Lakeview Band Boosters and served on the media council at LFO. She and her husband received in 1996 the Esteemed Patron Award from the school.

“I believe that my experience — as an involved parent, as a long-term trust officer and as a proud citizen of Catoosa County — qualifies me to serve the parents, children and all of the people of District 2 on the Board of Education,” Lockery said. “I know from my prior service that the job will be challenging, but I welcome that challenge and intend to serve with integrity, determination and common sense.”

Lockery has been employed at SunTrust Bank in Chattanooga for 25 years. She is a member of First Baptist Church in Chattanooga.

Her son graduated from The University of Georgia and is employed in the Atlanta area. Her daughter lives in Fort Worth, Texas, and is an expectant mother.

She and husband Bill, who is employed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, live on Kelsey Drive in the Westside community.

The member of the Catoosa County Board of Education representing District 2 serves a four-year term. All other members of the school board also serve four-year terms, except for the floating seat that rotates from district to district every two years