RED BANK, N.J., Sept. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OceanFirst Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:OCFC), the holding company for OceanFirst Bank, today announced the Board of Directors appointment of Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS, to the Boards of OceanFirst Financial Corp. and OceanFirst Bank N.A.

Dr. Patricia Turner is director of the division of member services for the American College of Surgeons, a scientific and educational association of more than 82,000 members dedicated to improving the care of surgical patients and to safeguarding standards of care. In addition to her position at the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Turner is currently a clinical associate professor of surgery at The University of Chicago School of Medicine.

Dr. Turner is a leading advocate for post-graduate education reform, for enhanced quality efforts, and for leveraging the influence of organized medicine. Dr. Turner’s past leadership roles in national organizations include serving as president of the Surgical Section of the National Medical Association, president of the Society of Black Academic Surgeons, councilor for the Southeastern Surgical Congress, and chair of the AMA Council on Medical Education. She holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, an MD from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, and a MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. She has received numerous awards as a surgeon and a leader and, most recently, was recognized as one of Business Poets & Quants’ Best and Brightest EMBAs and was selected as the commencement speaker for the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business class of 2020.

Dr. Turner’s perspective regarding the healthcare and regulated industries, leadership skills, and background in professional education and governance will provide valuable insight and contributions to the growth of the Company.

OceanFirst Financial Corp.’s subsidiary, OceanFirst Bank N.A., founded in 1902, is an $11.3 billion regional bank operating throughout New Jersey, metropolitan Philadelphia and metropolitan New York City. OceanFirst Bank delivers commercial and residential financing solutions, trust and asset management, and deposit services and is one of the largest and oldest community-based financial institutions headquartered in New Jersey.

OceanFirst Financial Corp.'s press releases are available at www.oceanfirst.com.