Professional Development

Congratulations to the graduates of the 2015 ABA Basic Lending School! Fifteen bankers participated in this five-day course, covering topics from credit to compliance, to risk management. Instructors included Dr. John Dominick, Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas; John Adams, First Security Bank; Heather Vaughan, Bankers Assurance, LLC; Rosalind Mouser, Simmons First National Bank; and Joe Wessell, BancorpSouth Bank. Graduates of the 2015 ABA Basic Lending School are, in back: Andrea Rounsavall, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Hazen; Kim Smith, First National Bank of Tom Bean, Lewisville; Bryan Dalton, RiverBank, Pocahontas; Casey Patrick, Community First Bank, Harrison; Leslie Hendricks, Relyance Bank, Pine Bluff; Harrison Young, Centennial Bank, Russellville; Corey Burns, Relyance Bank, Pine Bluff; Buddy Smith, First National Bank of Izard County, Horseshoe Bend; Bill Wilcoxson, First National Bank of Lawrence County At Walnut Ridge, Walnut Ridge; and Ed McKinley, Arkansas County Bank, Lockesburg. Seated: Shane Hampton, Signature Bank of Arkansas, Fayetteville; Katie Ratliff, Arvest Bank, Lead Hill; Pennie Lewis, Signature Bank of Arkansas, Brinkley; Sherrie Bogy, Bank of England, England; and Ethan Provost, Centennial Bank, Russellville. Basic Lending School 2015 Arkansans Complete GSB at Colorado The Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC) is pleased to announce the graduation of eight Arkansas banking professionals as a part of the class of 2015: ƒ Natalie Bartholomew, First National Bank of NWA, Rogers ƒ Drew Chandler, Farmers Bank & Trust, Magnolia ƒ Chris Davis, Arkansas State Bank Department, Little Rock ƒ William Elliott, Arkansas State Bank Department, Jonesboro ƒ Lance Nutt, Arkansas State Bank Department, Little Rock ƒ Erica Preston, Chambers Bank, Bentonville ƒ Eric Roberts, DD&F Consulting Group, Little Rock ƒ Scott Smith, Arkansas State Bank Department, Jonesboro GSBC awarded 157 total graduates from across the nation with a certificate in banking in a ceremony which took place Thursday, July 23 at the Folsom Field Skyboxes on the University of Colorado Boulder campus. A total of 21 Arkansas bankers attended the 65th Annual School Session, including the graduates above. GSBC is America’s Premier Community Banking School which prepares bankindustry professionals to take on senior management roles within their organizations. Each student has been recognized by his or her bank CEO, president and supervisor as a rising star within their organization. During the 25-month program, which meets two weeks each July for three consecutive years, students are required to complete Arkansas graduates, in front: Erica Preston and Natalie Bartholomew; second row: Chris Davis, Drew Chandler, Eric Roberts, and Lance Nutt; in back: William Elliott, and Scott Smith. La’Twan Cheathem, Arvest Bank, Little Rock; and Wes Womack, Simmons Bank, Little Rock, joined Dr. Dominick on a “banker loan committee panel” during the school. Casey Patrick, Community First Bank, Harrison (left) was the Basic Lending School Honor Graduate; and Andrea Rounsavall, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Hazen, was the class valedictorian.

six intersession research projects, oncampus coursework, exams and a bank management simulation.

The ABA and Bankers Assurance hosted the 2015 ABA Compliance Conference, September 22-23 in Little Rock. The group covered an array of topics, ranging from Commercial Lending Compliance to TRID implementation. Speakers for the event included Shaun Harms and Heather Vaughan, both of Bankers Assurance; Patsy Parkin, Butler | Snow Government and Regulatory Group; Bryan Reaves, Superior Consulting; Everett Fields, FDIC; Joe Detchemendy, Federal Reserve; Polly Radford, FDIC, and Michelle Mitchell, OCC. 2015 ABA Compliance Conference

Polly Radford, FDIC, Michelle Mitchell, OCC, and Joe Detchemendy, Federal Reserve, served on a Regulatory Panel during the second day of the Compliance Conference.

Attendees network prior to the Compliance Conference. There were a total of 47 banks from across Arkansas represented at the two-day event.

BSA/AML Compliance Management With compliance on-topic, 40 bankers stayed after the ABA Compliance Conference to attend a one-day seminar focusing on the Bank Secrecy Act and AntiMoney Laundering programs. Taught by Ken Golliher, this program served as an annual review, recapping critical duties, BSA responsibilities, and required elements of the AML program.

SHARP PROMOTED TO LOAN OFFICER AT PEOPLES BANK

Peoples Bank promoted Leslie Sharp to Loan Officer, according to Mary Fowler, President and CEO. “Leslie has distinguished herself during her relatively short career with us by rapidly progressing through our loan officer qualification process,” Fowler stated. “She has the skill and judgment to efficiently serve our loan customers, and the personality to make it an enjoyable experience! We are pleased to recognize her abilities with this promotion.” Sharp joined Peoples Bank in February of 2009 and has six years of banking experience including work as a teller and a loan assistant. She is a native

of Magnolia, a graduate of Magnolia High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Southern Arkansas University. Sharp is actively involved in Relay For Life, Magnolia Blossom Festival, where she has served as treasurer, and has completed the Leadership Magnolia program. She is a member of the First United Methodist Church where she serves as Assistant Youth Director.

RISHER PROMOTED TO BRANCH MANAGER AT PEOPLES BANK

Peoples Bank recently promoted Angela Risher to Assistant Vice President and Manager of the Golden Oaks Branch in Waldo, according to Mary Fowler, President and CEO. “Angela is very deserving of this promotion, and is well equipped to handle her new responsibilities. Everyone enjoys working with her because of her friendly attitude and her willingness to help anyone who needs her. We congratulate her on her new position!” stated Fowler. Risher joined Peoples Bank in November 1998 and has 17 years of banking experience. She is a native of Warren, and attended Southern Arkansas University. Involved in her community, Risher is very active in Relay For Life and Magnolia Blossom Festival. She is looking forward to being part of the Leadership Magnolia Class of 2016. In her spare time, Risher enjoys vacationing on the beach with her family, antiquing, and attending flea markets. Angela is married to Johnnie Risher and the couple has one daughter, Ashley. The family are members of First Baptist Church of Waldo.

experience perspective

FRANKLIN BASS NAMED HOT SPRINGS COMMUNITY PRESIDENT Simmons First National Bank has named Franklin Bass as its Hot Springs Community President. Bass, an Arkadelphia native, joined Simmons in 2014 as a Senior Vice President and Lending Manager in Hot Springs. His banking and finance career has taken him from Crews & Associates in Little Rock to First Security Bank in Fayetteville to Summit Bank in Hot Springs. Bass has a bachelor’s degree from the Walton School of Business at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and also studied international business in Italy. He’s a member of the board of the Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation and the MidAmerica Science Museum at Hot Springs. He also serves on the steering committee of the Hot Springs Future Fund.

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“Hot Springs is a key growth market for Simmons Bank,” said Freddie Black, Simmons’ regional chair for Arkansas. “Franklin has strong leadership skills, a great personality and understands how to deliver customer service. We also like our community presidents to be involved in the community, and Franklin is heavily involved. We couldn’t have a better leader in the Hot Springs market.”

SOUTHERN BANCORP BANK ANNOUNCES NEW HIRES AND PROMOTIONS Southern Bancorp Bank recently announced new hires and promotions in several of its markets.

In HelenaWest Helena, Southern Bancorp Bank welcomes Stoney Fortenberry, who brings 17 years of commercial and agricultural lending experience to the position of Commercial Loan Officer. A McGehee native, Fortenberry is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the Barrett School of Banking. He is joined in Helena by his wife Krista and their two daughters, Kelly and Caroline.

Missy Ishmael has been promoted to Vice President for Lending. With 32 years of banking experience, this Helena-West Helena native provides a wealth of lending experience to the community. An alumnus of both Arkansas State University and Phillips Community College, Ishmael is currently attending the Barrett School of Banking and is active in several community organizations including Kiwanis and the Boys and Girls Club of Helena-West Helena. She resides in Helena and is the proud mother of Ryan Ishmael and his wife Rachel; Olivia Roberts and her husband Josh; and two grandsons, Jake and Trent.

Wendy Von Kanel has been promoted to Senior Vice President specializing in mortgages and agricultural loans. A lifelong resident of Phillips County, Von Kanel is a graduate of Phillips Community College with 17 years of experience in banking. She is active in the community, serving on the DeSoto School Board and lives in Helena with her husband, Alan, and their two children, Bailey and Reese.

In Malvern, Southern Bancorp Bank welcomes Brian Coston to the position of Executive Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer. A Malvern native, Coston is a graduate of Henderson State University, the ABA Commercial Lending Academy at Louisiana State University, and the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University. He is active in the community, currently serving his fifth term on the Hot Springs County Quorum Court, his third term as a board member for the Malvern School District, and is a member of the College of the Ouachita’s Foundation Board. Coston is a retired Major with the Arkansas Army National Guard and lives in Malvern with his wife Martha. The have one daughter, Emily,

and a son, Elliot. In Eudora, Southern Bancorp Bank welcomes Bruce Timmons to the position of Eudora

Market President. A Hamburg native with 42 years of banking experience, Timmons is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University. He and his wife Connie have three children and six grandchildren. Southern Bancorp Bank’s Blytheville market saw four recent promotions.

Christie Patterson has been promoted to the position of Executive Vice President. With 15 years of banking experience, this Gosnell native is a graduate of Arkansas State University, the Barret School of Banking, and the American Bankers Association National Compliance School. Patterson is active in the community, participating in the Delta Regional Authority Leadership Institute, Blytheville Leadership Institute, Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce (past board member), Arkansas Banker’s Emerging Leaders (past council member), Blytheville Lion’s Club (member and past president), and Main Street Blytheville (past board member). She has been recognized as an “Outstanding Young Executive” by Northeast Arkansas Business Today, and was recently featured as part of the “Women of Mississippi County” panel in 2015.

Jennifer Stallings has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. A Gosnell native, Stallings has 11 years of banking experience and is active in the community, having graduated from the Blytheville Leadership Institute and serving as Relay for Life Chair. She and her husband Glenn have three children,

Brianna, Aaron and Dalton, as well as one granddaughter, Karlie.

Jackie Seals has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. A graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Seals has 11 years of banking experience. The Blytheville native is also active in the community having graduated from the Blytheville Leadership Institute and serving in various community leadership capacities. Seals live in Blytheville with her daughter, Alexandria.

Eva Simpson has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. Simpson has 26 years of banking experience and is an active member of the Greater Grace Fellowship Church. Married to Larry Simpson, Eva has one daughter and son-inlaw, Wendy and Scott Defoe, and two granddaughters, Hayley and Madison. In related news, Southern Bancorp Community Partners (SBCP), a 501c3 financial development and lending organization working in many of Southern Bancorp’s markets also announced the promotion of Vida Fielder. Fielder, who has helped lead a variety of SBCP’s programs, including VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and the organization’s HUD-certified credit and housing counseling since 2000, has been promoted to Loan and Credit Officer, a position in which she will facilitate SBCP’s development lending activities and continue her work with SBCP’s credit building activities.

SIMMONS WEALTH DEVELOPMENT AND PRIVATE BANKING ANNOUNCE PROMOTIONS, NEW HIRES Simmons First National Bank has announced the following promotions and new hires in the areas of wealth development and private banking: Jay Meador will serve as the President of Private Banking for the Arkansas Region. Meador received his bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and his MBA from Vanderbilt University. He was at IberiaBank for eight years, most recently as Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking. Prior to that, Meador had a broad range of business experience, ranging from The Wall Street Journal to a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines to the CheckFree Corp/Fiserv. He’s a board member and former board president for UAMS Family Home, a board member for Young Life West Little Rock and

a former member of the Pulaski Academy Board of Visitors. Carole Smith will serve as a Senior Vice President and Private Banking Loan Officer. Smith joined Delta Trust & Bank in October 2007. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Arkansas and is also a graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She joined Worthen Bank & Trust Co. of Little Rock in 1983 and became the bank’s first female senior vice president. She later was the owner of the retail business C.J. Nichols Inc. and the co-owner of New Traditions. David Coleman will serve as a Vice President and Private Banking Loan Officer. Coleman received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas and later graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. He was a senior examiner for the Arkansas State Bank Department from 2005-08 before joining Simmons as a Loan Review Manager. Kathryn Pannell will serve as an Assistant Vice President and a Private Banking Relationship Manager. Pannell began her banking career in 2007 as an Assistant Branch Manager for Metropolitan National Bank. She was promoted to Branch Manager in 2011 and worked in Maumelle, North Little Rock and Little Rock.

RODRIGUEZ, ROBINSON JOIN TODAY’S BANK Today’s Bank is pleased to announce the addition of two employees: Christina Rodriguez and Nate Robinson.

Christina Rodriguez has been hired as a Retail Lending Officer and Branch Manager at the new Today’s Bank branch located in Springdale.

Rodriguez is originally from Yorba Linda, California, where she started off her banking career as a teller 21 years ago. She now resides in Springdale with her husband and four children, where she is actively involved in the community as a volunteer in the local school system, as well as in children’s ministry.

Nate Robinson has joined the bank as Assistant Vice President, Retail Lending Manager and Commercial Loan Officer in Springdale. He has more than seven years of experience in banking, including retail banking, consumer lending, and commercial lending. A Springdale native, Robinson has been active in his community volunteering with CASA, coaching recreational soccer, and counseling with families.