BAR HARBOR – Joseph M. Murphy has joined Bar Harbor Bankshares as president & CEO. Murphy is responsible for setting the strategic direction for the holding company and its two subsidiaries: Bar Harbor Banking and Trust Co. and BTI Financial Group.

Murphy brings 36 years of financial services experience to Bar Harbor Bankshares, most recently as executive vice president, retail banking group, for WSFS Financial Corp., a $1.8 billion financial services company based in Wilmington, Del. He also served 20 years with Center Financial Corporation, a $4 billion Connecticut-based community bank holding company, now part of First Union Corp.

Murphy earned his bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University and attended graduate studies at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute.