LITTLE ROCK -- Southern Bancorp's Hot Springs team has grown by five with the recent additions of Ron Magby, Hot Springs market president; Blake Whitley, West Region Division president; Jordan Anthony, senior vice president of commercial lending; Mandi Krauss, senior vice president of business and community development; and Chris Henderson, vice president and credit analyst.
"We're excited to welcome this group of highly talented individuals to our team," said Darrin Williams, Southern Bancorp Inc. CEO, in the press release. "As a mission-driven financial institution, Southern is always on the lookout for those seeking to join in our efforts to be wealth builders for everyone in the community through values-based banking."
The new team members have already begun focusing their efforts on growing Southern's presence in the Hot Springs area and sharing the organization's "unique brand of banking" that focuses on lifting everyone in the community up financially.
"Not only are these individuals bringing a wealth of banking experience to Southern, they're also bringing a passion for helping everyone in the community," said Bill Wright, West Region CEO. "And that's a key attribute we look for in bringing folks into our unique organization."
All five team members will be based in Hot Springs at the Southern Bancorp branch located at 4138 Central Ave.
Magby comes to Southern with 25 years of banking experience and a background in market management, commercial lending and private banking. He received his bachelor's degree in biology from Arkansas Tech University in 1993, and in 1995, graduated from the Arkansas Bankers Association Lending School. Magby is active in the Hot Springs community, serving as a board member and past president of the Lake Hamilton Optimist Club, president of the Miracle League of Garland County, board member of the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce and a member of Hot Springs Baptist Church. He and his wife, Melissa, have three children, Spencer, 22, Emily, 17, and Molly, 8.
Whitley has worked in banking for 27 years with roles ranging from executive vice president to loan review officer to state bank examiner. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Henderson State University in 1990, and has attended numerous banking schools and seminars. Whitley is currently a trustee for the Olds Foundation and serves on the Hot Springs Metro Partnership for Economic Development Board. He has previously served as a board director for various civic and nonprofit organizations in Magnolia, Arkadelphia and Hot Springs. He and his wife, Laura, have two daughters, Clair and Paige.
Anthony brings with him 14 years of banking experience. He graduated from Arkadelphia High School and received his Bachelor in Business Management and Master's of Business Administration at Henderson State University. Anthony has attended Arkansas Bankers Association Commercial Lending School. He is married to Leanne Anthony and attends Third Street Baptist Church.
Krauss brings 20 years of banking experience and a background in bank marketing, business development and treasury management to the organization. A Hot Springs native and graduate of Lakeside High School, Krauss received her bachelor degree in marketing from Louisiana Tech University. Krauss is the treasurer for the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Garland County and a member of Lake Valley Community Church. She and her husband, Jason, have two children, Jack, 11, and Elli, 9.
Rounding out the new additions to the Southern Team in Hot Springs is Henderson, who has worked in the banking industry for the last 10 years and is a graduate of Bismarck High School and Henderson State University, where he received both his undergraduate degree and MBA. He and his wife, Hollie, have two children, Hudson, 5, and Graham, 2.
Southern Bancorp Inc., a bank holding company; Southern Bancorp Community Partners, a 501(c)(3) development finance and lending organization; and Southern Bancorp Bank, one of America's largest rural development banks; were founded in 1986 by political, business and philanthropic leaders who were concerned about the economic decline of rural Arkansas. All three entities are U.S. Treasury certified Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) collectively known as "Southern." With $1.2 billion in assets and 46 locations in Arkansas and Mississippi, Southern focuses on wealth building for everyone by investing in people and businesses in rural communities; empowering them to improve their lives; and helping them transform their communities. Learn more about Southern on the web at http://www.banksouthern.com and http://www.southernpartners.org.
Business on 07/09/2018