Dr. Harry Ryburn, Lead Director of Simmons First National
Corporation (Nasdaq:SFNC) announced the anticipated retirement
of J. Thomas May to be effective December 2013. Dr. Ryburn
announced that George Makris, a longtime director, will succeed J.
Thomas May as Chairman and CEO of Simmons First National
Corporation at his retirement on December 31, 2013. Prior to
assuming the position of Corporate Chairman and CEO, Makris will
serve in a transition capacity in the newly created position of
CEO-Elect, effective January 1, 2013. In addition, the Board has
announced that David Bartlett, Corporate President and Chief
Operating Officer, has been named to the new position of President
and Chief Banking Officer of Simmons First National Corporation,
effective January 1, 2013, reporting to the Chairman and CEO.
Makris will continue his service on the Board of Simmons First
National Corporation and Bartlett will be named to the Board
effective January 2013.
George Makris is no stranger to our company
having served on the SFNC Board for 15 years and serves as Audit
Committee Chairman. Makris is a third generation businessman and
has been a leader in many local organizations. He currently
serves as Chairman of the Economic Development Corporation of
Jefferson County and Vice-Chairman of the Jefferson Hospital
Association Board of Directors. He is a Director of the
National Beer Wholesalers Association and served as a member of the
Anheuser-Busch Wholesaler Advisory Panel. Makris also serves on the
Board of Visitors of the UAMS College of Medicine. He received
his B.A. from Rhodes College and his M.B.A. from the University of
Arkansas. A lifelong resident of Pine Bluff, he and his wife
Debbie, have three sons, George III, Nick, and John. He and
his wife are members of Trinity Episcopal Church. According to
Ryburn, "George has a proven record of market development and
combined with his experience from the perspective of a shareholder,
director and consumer of financial services, is uniquely qualified
to lead the strategic efforts of the Corporation and its
outstanding team of banking professionals."
David Bartlett will continue to serve as
Corporate President and will assume the additional title of Chief
Banking Officer with direct oversight for eight banks with assets
in excess of $3.2 billion, which will now include the lead bank,
Simmons First National Bank. Ryburn said, "David Bartlett will
join the Simmons First National Corporation Board of Directors, and
will report to the Corporate Chairman and CEO. Bartlett has
been in banking for 35 years and has been a part of Simmons First
since the bank he organized in Hot Springs merged with Simmons
First in 2004. He presently has oversight responsibility of
seven of our community banks ranging in asset size of $200 million
to $350 million. He has exceptional leadership skills and
understands the regulatory environment extremely
well." Bartlett is currently on the Arkansas Bankers
Association Board and serves as Chairman-Elect. He also is a Board
member of the Baptist Health Foundation, Treasurer of the Arkansas
State Chamber of Commerce and a UALR Fast Forward Steering
Committee member. He and his wife Nancy, live in Little Rock, and
are members of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church. They
are the parents of Melissa, Chip, and the late Michelle.
Bob Fehlman, Executive Vice President, and
Chief Financial Officer, will become Senior Executive Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer of Simmons First National
Corporation and will assume new responsibilities as Corporate
Treasurer, a newly created position reporting to the Corporate
Chairman and CEO. Fehlman is a Certified Public Accountant and
worked as an accountant with BKD, before joining Simmons First 24
years ago. Fehlman was named to the Arkansas Business "40
under 40", and recognized in 2009 by Arkansas Business as the first
recipient of the CFO Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a member of
the Arkansas Executive Forum, serves on the Board of the United Way
of Arkansas and is a member of the Rotary International Club 99. He
and his wife Debbie, live in Little Rock, and are members of
Fellowship Bible Church. They have two daughters, Breanna and
Katherine.
Marty Casteel, Executive Vice President of both
Simmons First National Corporation and Simmons First National Bank,
will continue his administrative duties in the corporation
reporting to the Corporate CEO. Casteel will assume the
additional title of Chairman and CEO of Simmons First National Bank
and in this role will report to the President, and Chief Banking
Officer of the Corporation. He will become a member of the
Simmons First National Bank board of directors. Casteel has
over 35 years of banking experience, of which 25 years have been
with Simmons First. Casteel is on the Board of the Jefferson
Hospital Association and the UAPB Board of Visitors. He also serves
as Vice-Chairman and Board member of the Economic Development
Alliance of Jefferson County, Board member of Pine Bluff Downtown
Development, the United Way Board, a member of Fifty for the
Future, and a member of the Rotary Club of Pine Bluff. He and his
wife Ginger live in Pine Bluff and are members of First United
Methodist Church. They have one daughter, Mary Robin.
Craig Hunt, Executive Vice President with
Simmons First National Bank, has been promoted to President of
Simmons First National Bank, and will also assume new
responsibilities as the Corporate Chief Credit Officer. Hunt
will report to the Chairman and CEO of Simmons First National Bank
and will become a member of the bank board of directors. Hunt
has over 41 years of banking experience with Simmons First. He
serves on the Boards of the Jefferson County 4-H Foundation,
Jefferson County Industrial Foundation, and Fifty for the
Future. He is a past President of Pine Bluff Downtown
Development and a former Board member of the South Arkansas
Livestock Show Association. He lives in Pine Bluff and is a
member of First United Methodist Church. He has two daughters,
Ashley and Lauren.
George Makris, Marty Casteel, and Craig Hunt will continue to be
located in Pine Bluff, with the corporate headquarters and the lead
bank. Likewise, David Bartlett and Bob Fehlman will continue
to be located in Little Rock at the corporate office, located on
Riverfront Drive.
According to May, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, "One of
the most gratifying experiences I have had in recent times, is
watching how our Board of Directors, under the leadership and
guidance of Dr. Harry Ryburn, a 37 year member, with 10 years as
Lead Director, worked on this succession plan for over two
years. It has been a methodical and forward thinking process
to use our management talent where it can be most effective and
with a commitment to make the change transparent to all of our
stakeholders. I appreciate all the work that Dr. Ryburn, the
Succession Committee, and the Board of Directors have put into the
most important process of replacing its Chief Executive Officer.
George Makris is known for his vision, strategic planning and
ability to mold, motivate and lead a team. He is performance driven
and understands banking better than many bankers. While it
will be extremely difficult for me to say good-bye when I retire in
December 2013, it will also be exciting to watch this new team,
which has been a part of leading this company through one of the
greatest recessions in history, take Simmons First to a new level
in size, geographic footprint and creating shareholder
value. It is a really strong team, and the process exemplifies
a "best practice" when it comes to corporate governance and
succession planning. Our Board of Directors has excelled and
this team will take our company to a new level of performance for
all of our stakeholders."
Simmons First National Corporation
Simmons First National Corporation is an eight bank financial
holding company with community banks in Pine Bluff, Lake Village,
Jonesboro, Rogers, Searcy, Russellville, El Dorado and Hot Springs,
Arkansas. The Company's eight banks conduct financial operations
from 88 offices, of which 84 are financial centers, in 47
communities in Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas. The Company's common
stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol
"SFNC".
The Simmons First National Corporation logo is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4819
CONTACT: Stephen R. Lasseigne
Vice President and Manager of Advertising
Simmons First National Corporation
(870) 541-1438
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