LONGTIME REGION’S BANKER
RETIRES AFTER 46 YEARS
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fter 46 years, Rogers bank executive Jerry Vest retired on Aug. 31 as Regions Bank’s top Northwest Arkansas market executive. Vest, 68, has worked for Regions Bank in various positions in Fort Smith and Rogers since May 1976. An Arkansas native, he went right to work after graduating with a finance degree from the University of Oklahoma. He was a four-year letterman and scholarship basketball player for the Sooners.
Vest has worked in Rogers since 2000, overseeing Regions Bank operations in Northwest Arkansas, Fort Smith and southwest Missouri. Jacyln Henderson, who previously served as vice president and commercial relationship manager, takes over the bank’s top regional leadership position. She is a Rogers native and has worked for Regions Bank for 16 years. Regions Bank has four offices in Benton and Washington counties and four in Fort Smith. It’s a subsidiary of Regions Financial Corp. (NYSE:RF), with more than $161 billion in assets and approximately 1,300 banking offices in 16 states.
VENTURE CENTER NAMES TWO
TO BEEF UP FINTECH PROGRAMMING
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he Venture Center announced it is growing its team of leaders to focus on building its fintech programming and to expand entrepreneurial support in the global financial technology industry. Hamza Qadir has been promoted to managing director of fintech programs and will lead the Venture Center’s efforts working with the most promising fintech founders and the world’s top financial services industry leaders seeking innovation to better serve their customers. Pierce Sloan has been promoted to senior program manager for fintech programs and Camille Santrach has been hired as program manager for fintech programs. The moves come on the heels of the Venture Center’s recent inaugural VenCent Fintech Summit in Little Rock held in August.
“Our influence in the fintech space is growing as we continue to build strong partnerships with bankers and entrepreneurs around the world,” said Wayner Miller, executive director of The Venture Center. “A welcome spotlight is on Little Rock to continue as a desirable hub for fintech, and this strategic move to focus more of our time and resources on fintech programs and grow our industry reach makes sense as we keep an eye on what’s ahead for Arkansas. Hamza, Pierce and Camille are highly capable and passionate about equipping the entrepreneurs with whom we work.”
RANDY BEARCE TO LEAD FARMERS & MERCHANTS BANK IN JONESBORO MARKET
T
he board of directors of Farmers & Merchants Bank has appointed Randy Bearce as market president for its Jonesboro operations. In his new role, Bearce will oversee the retail and lending operations in Northeast Arkansas’ largest city. He served as a commercial lender. “I’m excited for Randy to move into this leadership position,” private banking manager Gary Childers said. “He is well-respected by the bank staff, his customers and the Jonesboro community. Randy is a person that goes above and beyond to serve his customers as well as Jonesboro, and he has the experience necessary to be a successful Market President. Congratulations Randy.” A Jonesboro native, Bearce is an alumnus of Valley View High School and Arkansas State University, where he earned a degree in finance. Bearce started his career in the
financial industry more than 27 years ago and has worked as a lender in the Jonesboro region since 1999. He joined the Farmers & Merchants Bank and Integrity First team in 2013. Farmers & Merchants Bank, headquartered in Stuttgart, is a locally-owned community bank with 27 locations across the state. Farmers & Merchants recently expanded its footprint in the Jonesboro area with a second branch at Parker Road and Southwest Drive. With assets in excess of $1.6 billion, Farmers & Merchants is the 10th largest bank chartered in Arkansas. THE ARKANSAS BANKER
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