Von Kanel will help manage operations throughout Southern Bancorp’s Central Region
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – Southern Bancorp today announced the promotion of Wendy Von Kanel to Regional President, a leadership position in which she will help manage operations in Phillips and Mississippi County, Arkansas as well as DeSoto County, Mississippi. Von Kanel previously served as Market President for Phillips County.
“I want to congratulate Wendy on her well-deserved promotion,” said Southern Bancorp, Inc. CEO Darrin Williams. “She has been a long-time advocate of Southern’s mission to provide access to economic opportunity in rural and underserved areas, and I am excited to see the impact she makes in this new leadership role.”
A Marvell native, Von Kanel joined the Southern Bancorp team more than two decades ago as a mortgage processor and has continued to rise through the ranks. Prior to being Market President, she held the position of Senior Vice President of Commercial Lending.
“I am thankful to Southern for giving me the opportunity to grow not only as a banker and a leader, but as a wealth builder for everyone,” said Von Kanel. “I look forward to serving the hardworking people in the Arkansas and Mississippi Delta and increasing economic development in those communities.”
Von Kanel attended Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas, and lives in Lexa with her husband Alan and their two children Bailey and Reese.
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 $1.4 billion in assets, 65,000 customers and 48 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.