West Memphis, Ark. – Southern Bancorp Community Partners (SBCP), a 501(c)(3) loan fund and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), today announced Connie Sorrells as its newest Community Inclusion Lender. SBCP is the nonprofit arm of Southern Bancorp, Inc., one of the nation’s oldest and largest CDFIs. Sorrells will be based out of Southern Bancorp’s new West Memphis branch, primarily serving this market and the surrounding areas.
“I am ecstatic about Connie Sorrells joining my lending team and our Southern Bancorp team as a Community Inclusion Lender,” said Ralph Brown, SBCP’s Chief Lending Officer. “She checks all the boxes of what we were looking for in the ideal candidate for the role. Connie is well-known and has strong ties in the local community, her diverse skillset and background give her the technical savviness and professional etiquette to work well with her customers and colleagues, and, most of all, she has the heart, drive, and passion for our mission of building wealth for everyone and helping those who need it most.”
Sorrells brings to the position a diverse background of experience, including nearly a decade in agribusiness lending and more than 10 years of corporate, civil, estate, and bankruptcy legal experience. Most recently, she served as a specialized loan processor for Farm Credit Midsouth.
In the Community Inclusion Lender position, Sorrells will work to increase the awareness of SBCP’s loan products and financial development services within the Crittenden County market, with a targeted emphasis on low- and moderate-income borrowers and communities with less access to responsible financial resources. The market, which includes branches in Marion and West Memphis, is new to Southern Bancorp, following the successful acquisition and conversion of Premier Bank of Arkansas.
She will also assist the organization with recruitment efforts, provide financial development services such as credit counseling, and facilitate financial literacy programs such as economic skills classes and financial education training sessions.
The West Memphis native is an active member of her community, regularly volunteering her time and resources to local organizations such as the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas, through which she is an Acre of Hope Committee Member, and Hope House Ministries. Sorrells is a recent graduate of Arkansas State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration.
About Southern Bancorp
Founded in 1986 by some of the nation’s leading political, business, and philanthropic leaders with an initial investment of $10 million, Southern Bancorp, Inc., along with its development partners – Southern Bancorp Bank and Southern Bancorp Community Partners – has grown into a $2.6 billion asset organization with 56 locations serving 65,000 customers across two states. Southern Bancorp has a unique array of financial products and services designed to help individuals at all stages of life’s financial journey – from teaching kids how to save to helping entrepreneurs and families realize the American Dream. Southern Bancorp is a certified Community Development Financial Institution, certified B-Corp, and proud member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values. Learn more at www.BankSouthern.com and www.SouthernPartners.org.