NATALIE BARTHOLOMEW TO LEAD FIRST COMMUNITY BANK INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

First Community Bank announced that Natalie Bartholomew has been hired as community president in Rogers and she’ll be leading future expansion efforts in Northwest Arkansas.

In her new role, Bartholomew will be responsible for securing a dedicated banking team, building lead relationships with area businesses, operational oversight in her territory, and establishing the financial institution’s presence in the region.

“First Community Bank has established a loan production office in Rogers slated to be open later this month, and pending regulatory approval, we intend to transition that location into a full branch by fall 2022. Entering the Rogers area is our initial step to grow our footprint in Northwest Arkansas. We are very fortunate to have a veteran banker like Natalie join our team and spearhead our efforts in the region. Her phenomenal reputation precedes her, and we feel that she is the perfect fit for this role,” said Dale Cole, chairman and chief executive officer for First Community Bank.

With an accomplished 21 years of experience in banking, Bartholomew has previously worked in several areas of finance including, but not limited to retail, customer service, credit analysis, marketing, human resources, strategic planning, commercial/ consumer/mortgage lending and executive leadership.

Bartholomew earned her bachelor’s degree in agricultural business and master’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Arkansas. She was voted as class representative at the Graduate School of Banking Colorado of which she is a graduate and current faculty member.

Bartholomew notably founded the Girl Banker Platform in 2017 to serve as an advocate for women in banking and young women considering careers in banking. Within the platform, an online community has been created on various social media platforms including the Girl Banker Facebook Group that includes over 6,000 women in banking from over 36 states.

“As a fifth generation Northwest Arkansas resident, I am thrilled to be joining an Arkansas based bank that will support the communities that mean so much to my family,” said Bartholomew. “I look forward to utilizing First Community Bank's focus on developing strong relationships to build a strong team and branch network to support the Northwest Arkansas region.”

Cross County Bank To Unify Operations Under Cross Bank Name

Cross County Bank of Wynne announced a plan to unify the organization under a new name: Cross Bank.

Currently, Cross County Bank operates four offices in Cross County under the Cross County Bank name and six offices in Craighead, Monroe, and Mississippi Counties under the First Commercial Bank name.

“Unifying our bank under one name, Cross Bank, simplifies matters for our customers and our communities,” said David Dowd, President and CEO of

Cross County Bank. “Our First Commercial customers often don’t recognize they are part of a bank with a 131-year legacy in the community. Our Cross County Bank customers often don’t recognize the ability to conduct banking transactions at our six First Commercial Bank offices when it may be more convenient to do so. The name Cross Bank honors our heritage and solidifies our future as a locally owned and operated community bank.”

Cross County Bank was established in 1891 and is the second oldest bank charter among state-chartered banks in Arkansas. The bank plans to be known as Cross Bank in all 10 offices beginning November 21, 2022. Cross Bank will use a new logo, incorporating the familiar blue of Cross County Bank and a symbol that helps tell the story.

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