SIGNATURE BANK ANNOUNCES NEW MORTGAGE DIVISION PRESIDENT

Fayetteville-based Signature Bank of Arkansas has promoted Kim Whedbee to president of its mortgage division.

According to the bank, her predecessor, Christine Morrison, has retired from the mortgage industry but not from Signature Bank. She has accepted a new role within the human resources department.

Whedbee has worked for the bank since 2014. She’d previously been a mortgage underwriter and a mortgage lender. She’s worked for multiple banks in her 26-year career.

Southern Bancorp Community Partners Names Wonda London Community Inclusion Lender

Southern Bancorp Community Partners (SBCP) announced Wonda London as its newest Community Inclusion Lender. SBCP is the nonprofit arm of Southern Bancorp, a community development financial institution. London will be based out of Southern Bancorp’s new 12th Street branch in Little Rock, primarily serving that market and surrounding areas.

“We’re excited to bring Wonda’s skillset and experience to Southern Bancorp Community Partners, as well as her heart and passion for helping to provide financial tools and resources to best serve the needs of the underserved and unbanked, which directly aligns with the mission of Southern,” said Ralph Brown, SBCP’s Chief Lending Officer. “I couldn’t be more excited to have Wonda as an integral part of my team and look forward to seeing her thrive in this new role and the positive impact she will make in the Little Rock community.”

London, a native of DeWitt, brings more than two decades of combined experience in business development, relationship management, banking, lending, and credit analysis. Most recently, London served as a Claims Analyst for Priority1, and before this worked as a Consumer Underwriter for Simmons Bank, a Contact Center Consultant for Arkansas Federal Credit Union, an Acquisition Analyst for Ally Financial, Inc., and a Student Loan Assistant for Regions Bank.

In the Community Inclusion Lender position, London will work to increase the awareness of SBCP’s loan products and financial development services within her market, with a targeted emphasis on low- and moderate-income borrowers and communities with less access to responsible financial resources.

Additionally, she will assist the institution with recruitment efforts, provide financial development services such as credit counseling, and facilitate financial literacy programs such as economic skills classes and financial education training sessions.