BB&T has promoted Karen Habenstein to assistant vice president.

Habenstein, who joined the bank in 2008, is an employment consultant in BB&T's Employment and Executive Search Department. She is based in Winston-Salem.

The Louisville, Ky., native earned her bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing from Michigan State University and her master's degree in human resources from LaRoche College in Pittsburgh, Pa.

With $137 billion in assets, BB&T Corp. is the nation's 14th largest financial holding company. It operates 1,501 financial centers in 11 states and Washington, D.C.