LITTLE ROCK – Southern Bancorp announced today the opening of a loan production office (LPO) in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The LPO opened Monday, August 24, making it the community development bank’s 49th location in a market area spanning both Arkansas and Mississippi. The office is currently located at 5248 Old Highway 11. A new location will be announced later this year.
“We are excited to join the Hattiesburg community and introduce people to our unique approach to banking,” said Darrin Williams, CEO of Southern Bancorp, Inc. “As a mission-driven financial institution, Southern provides access to affordable and responsible capital as well as financial development products and services. It is our mission to be wealth builders for everyone, and we look forward to helping the people of Hattiesburg achieve their financial goals.”
The Hattiesburg location will be led by Market President Chris Hester, a veteran banker with more than 20 years of experience. During his career, he has served in senior leadership roles at numerous financial institutions in Hattiesburg. He received his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1995. In 2000, he graduated from the Mississippi School of Banking at the University of Mississippi.
The LPO has three commercial lenders, Bart Borganelli, Daniel Stewart and Cory Whittington, and one consumer lender, Will Franklin. Sydney Mathis and Jessica Weatherford-Lowery serve as loan administrative assistants.
About Southern Bancorp
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 a group of business, political 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 $1.6 billion in assets, 65,000 customers and 49 locations in Arkansas and Mississippi, Southern invests in people and businesses in rural communities; empowers them to improve their lives; and helps them transform their communities. Southern is a Certified B Corp, Benefit Corporation, and proud member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values. Learn more about Southern on the web at www.banksouthern.com & www.southernpartners.org.