The executives named to Arkansas Money & Politics’ 2025 list of “Women in Banking” were nominated by readers. In a male-dominated industry, their perseverance, hard work and expertise have propelled them to influential positions in Arkansas banking and finance. We are proud to recognize them in this month’s issue.
Although banking has been a male-dominated industry historically, women are breaking the glass ceiling and rising to the top with the expertise, professional achievements and personal tenacity to succeed. These women in the banking industry are leaders who are making a significant contribution to the profession.
Katherine Aguilar
Relationship Banker II
Merchants & Farmers Bank
Brooke Alberson
VP, Compliance
Piggott State Bank
Vicki Anderson
VP/Human Resources Director
The First National Bank of Fort Smith
Paula Appleget
Sales Executive
Bank-Tec South
Adriana Fuentes Archila
VP, Community Development
ACC Capital
Betty Arivette
Senior Vice President
The Malvern National Bank
Amanda Armstrong
Commercial Loan Officer
Southern Bancorp
With 18 years of banking experience under her belt, Amanda Armstrong is passionate about helping people navigate their financial journeys, a mission-focused motivation that directly aligns with her role at Southern Bancorp, one of the nation’s oldest and most impactful community development financial institutions. Outside of work, Armstrong is an active member of her local community and school district, and she enjoys cheering on her kids during sports.
Kelly Ashcraft
President/COO
Warren Bank & Trust
Kenlea Baker
VP, Market Operations Coordinator
Bank of Fayetteville and Farmers & Merchants Bank
Leslie Ballentine
CFO
Community First Trust Co.
Tiffany Barger
VP, Senior Private Banker
Simmons Bank
Tiffany Barger serves as a vice president and senior private banker at Simmons Bank, where she provides concierge-level financial solutions to high-net-worth individuals, physicians, executives, and business owners. With nearly 20 years of banking experience, Barger specializes in delivering tailored banking and lending strategies designed to simplify complex financial needs. Known for her relationship-driven approach, she partners closely with clients to provide trusted guidance, personalized service and seamless access to Simmons Bank’s exclusive private banking products and services.
Natalie Bartholomew
NWA Community President
First Community Bank
Natalie Bartholomew, a career banker with nearly 25 years of experience in the industry, is the community president in northwest Arkansas at First Community Bank. Bartholomew has a passion for philanthropy and sits on various boards and committees that serve the northwest Arkansas region. She was recognized as the 2015 Young Woman of the Year by the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce at the NWA Business Women’s Conference, a 2020 Independent Community Bankers of America “40 Under 40: Community Bank Leaders,” a member of Arkansas Money & Politics “Women in Banking,” and a member of AY About You’s “Intriguing Women” in 2022. She was recently presented with the Young Alumni Award for the department of agricultural business and economics at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville at the 10th Annual Distinguished Alumnus of the Year event. She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Arkansas and is an alum of the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.
She launched The Girl Banker blog in November of 2017 in hopes of creating a voice for women in banking and working mothers. The Girl Banker has been featured in American Banker, the American Bankers Association Bank Marketing newsletter, and a variety of financial industry newsletters since its successful launch. In 2019, she launched The Girl Banker podcast. She and her husband, Colt, have two sons, Brody and Witten.
Kelli Beene
VP/Director of Human Resources
The Malvern National Bank
Kortni Beene
VP/Mortgage Production Leader
Southern Bancorp
Kortni Beene has helped to lead and guide Southern Bancorp’s growing mortgage efforts for nearly 12 years, helping individuals and families across Arkansas and the Southern region open the door to homeownership no matter their zip code or financial position. She is a proud alum of Henderson State University in Arkadelphia and is a 2025 graduate of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Arkansas’ Future Leaders program.
Lucinda Bishop
Financial Officer
Bank of Salem
Anastasia Blaylock
CSO
Citizens Bank
Tori Bogner
SVP/Director of Marketing & Communications
Signature Bank of Arkansas
Tori Bogner serves as senior vice president and director of marketing and communications at Signature Bank of Arkansas, where she oversees marketing, communications, advertising, public relations and community engagement initiatives on behalf of the bank. Once described as “wry” by The New York Times, Bogner brings both creativity and strategy to her work while maintaining a deep commitment to the communities she serves. An active community leader, she is a sustainer of the Junior League of Northwest Arkansas, an alumna of Zeta Tau Alpha, and served two terms on the National Board of Directors for the Arkansas Alumni Association. She graduated valedictorian from the now-consolidated Weiner High School before earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where she also served as student body president. Her dedication to leadership development is reflected in her completion of Leadership Fayetteville, Leadership Benton County and Leadership Arkansas.
Laura Bogoslavsky
SVP
Eagle Bank & Trust Co.
Christie Briggs
AVP/IT Officer
The First National Bank of Fort Smith
Amy Brooks
Human Resources Generalist
Chambers Bank
Machelle Brown
AVP/Operations Support Manager
Chambers Bank
Shelby Bruffett
COO
Anstaff Bank
Shelby Bruffett is chief operating officer at Anstaff Bank, where she has worked for 24 years. She previously served the bank in the roles of chief administration officer, chief financial officer, and human resources administrator. A Conway native, she graduated from Conway High School before moving on to Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Breanna Buntjer
Assistant Branch Manager
CS Bank
Breanna Buntjer began her banking career in May 2022 as a deposit services representative at CS Bank in Harrison, where she now serves as the assistant branch manager. She believes in the power of community banking; in building lasting relationships with customers, understanding their unique needs, and providing tailored financial solutions on a case-by-case basis.
Breanna received her Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration with emphasis in Office Management from North Arkansas College. She serves on the bank’s internal Visionary Committee and is currently attending the Boone County Leadership Institute.
Hallie Calvin
SVP, Commercial Real Estate
Centennial Bank
Dee Cameron
SVP/Loan Administrator/NWA
Central Bank
Amy Camp
VP/Branch Manager
Regions Bank
Hanna Canada
Co-owner
Bank of England
Taylor Carpenter
Senior Customer Service Rep
Chambers Bank
Latrecia Carroll
SVP, Operations
Stone Bank
Latrecia Carroll is a graduate of Little Rock Central High School and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has been employed in the banking industry in central Arkansas since receiving her BA in finance. Carroll currently serves as senior vice president and operations manager at Stone Bank, where she supervises employees throughout the company’s six locations and nationwide government-guaranteed lending operation. She serves as VP and president-elect of the Arkansas Bankers Association’s Emerging Leaders Council and is presently enrolled in the American Bankers Association’s Wharton School Leadership program at the University of Pennsylvania. Her volunteer activities include Junior Achievement of Arkansas and the Tjuana Byrd Internship program of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas.
Melissa Casey
EVP/CAO/CFO
CS Bank
Melissa Casey is executive vice president, chief administrative officer and chief financial officer at CS Bank, where she has been a dedicated employee since 1995. In her role as chief administrative officer, a position she assumed in 2022, she oversees critical areas of the bank including information technology, compliance, data processing, accounting, human resources and overall daily operations.
Casey is deeply committed to fostering excellence within the organization and serves as both a role model and mentor to the women she works alongside. In recognition of her leadership, she was named the Arkansas Power Women in Banking by the Arkansas Bankers Association in 2023. She is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking for Financial Managers in Madison, Wisconsin.
Kristi Clark
SVP, Equity Capital Markets
Stephens
Kristi Clark has been at Stephens since 1991 and a member of the equity capital markets team and debt capital markets team since 1995. Before joining Stephens, she worked as a sales associate for a national consumer products company. Clark received a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 1983.
J. Lynne Coan
EVP/COO
First Western Bank
Kami Coleman
VP, Professional Development
Arkansas Bankers Association
Kami Coleman joined the Arkansas Bankers Association, the state’s largest and oldest banking industry organization, in 2004. In her role as vice president of professional development, she is dedicated to contributing to the professional development growth and the needs of Arkansas bankers and their careers. Her focus includes overseeing all professional development offerings and committees including the state bank convention and the emerging leaders section council. She is passionate about the banking industry and helping to develop Arkansas’s community bankers with continuing education and opportunities within the field.
Jennifer Crow
BSA Officer
Gateway Bank
Kim Cullum
EVP/CFO
First Arkansas Bank & Trust
Joy Dailey
Mortgage Loan Officer
Arvest Mortgage
Joy Dailey is a native Arkansan who grew up in Little Rock and graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2005. Her love of helping people, community, educating others and constant learning serve her well in her role as a mortgage lender. She entered the industry in 2020 and proudly joined the Arvest team in 2022. She is best known for her compassionate, easy going yet professional personality, and desire to create a mortgage experience that is less transactional and more personable, providing customized elite service.
Elizabeth Daniel
Managing Director, M&A
Stephens
Elizabeth Brotman Daniel joined Stephens in 2016 as part of the mergers and acquisitions group. She advises companies on buysides, sellsides and shareholder activism. Prior to Stephens, Daniel worked at Wells Fargo Securities in the middle market group where she worked on a broad range of transactions, including buyside, sellside and joint venture opportunities, as well as equity and debt transactions. Previously, Daniel worked at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where she was a senior staff member in biomedical engineering and cardiology including responsibility for international programs. Daniel earned a Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler School of Business.
Glenda Danzy
VP/Commercial Loan Officer
Southern Bancorp
With 37 years of banking experience, Glenda Danzy brings trusted expertise and a heart for service to her role at Southern Bancorp, through which she helps families and entrepreneurs in her community achieve their financial dreams and build solid financial futures no matter their zip code or starting point. Outside of work, Danzy is a devoted wife, mother and grandmother and is an active member of her local church and the Kiwanis Club of Crossett.
Karyn Davis
President/CEO
Arkansas Federal Credit Union
Tammie Davis
SVP Community Strategy and Performance
Simmons Bank
Tammie Davis currently serves as senior vice president for community strategy and performance for Simmons Bank, overseeing comprehensive strategies for the community banking division that optimize sales, service and operational excellence across the business line. A member of Arkansas nonprofit Fifty for the Future, Davis served as the 2024 Heart Ball chair for the American Heart Association. She also served on St. Jude’s leadership team for the Justin Moore Golf Classic from 2021-2022, as co-chair for Ronald McDonald House’s Chocolate Fantasy Ball in 2010, and as a past board member for Baptist Health Long Term Care Hospital. She is a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock and has served in a variety of leadership roles for the Rotary Club of Little Rock. Davis holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Vickey Davis
SVP, Corporate Secretary
Relyance Bank
Shelia De Armond
SVP, Trust Manager
First Arkansas Bank & Trust
Paige Dugan
Deposit Ops Manager
Chambers Bank
Myra Dunn
VP, Consumer Loan Officer
Generations Bank
Jennifer Duran
COO
Bank of Little Rock
Jennifer Duran is chief operating officer at Bank of Little Rock, where she oversees deposit operations, information technology and information security for the $275 million community bank. A career banker, she began at age 16 as a file clerk and built her expertise on the deposit side of community banking. Duran is also a certified community bank technology officer, leading a high-tech team with a high-touch approach to customer service. Her leadership ensures Bank of Little Rock delivers efficient, secure and innovative banking experiences for its customers.
Megan Eller
CXO
Farmers Bank & Trust
Megan Eller is chief experience officer at Farmers Bank & Trust, where she leads initiatives to enhance customer service and support across the bank’s footprint. She began her career with Farmers 17 years ago as a part-time teller while attending Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance. Over the years, Eller advanced through positions in retail banking, including branch manager, branch administrator and branch administration manager before being named to the executive team. She was part of the inaugural branch administration team created in 2018, a pivotal step in strengthening support for Farmers’ retail staff. She and her husband, Jacob, live in Texarkana with their son, Kade, and enjoy family time together, often shooting hoops in the driveway or making their favorite stop at Dave & Buster’s.
Tracy Elliott
VP, Commercial Lending
Centennial Bank
Tammy Engle
President
Arvest Bank
Arvest Bank’s Tammy Engle was promoted to president of the Siloam Springs region, which includes nine locations in Siloam Springs, Gentry and eastern Oklahoma, in 2019. She began her career at Arvest in 1998 as a part-time teller while attending John Brown University. She was then promoted to loan assistant before spending more than 20 years in various roles from credit analyst to loan manager. She earned her B.B.A. with a pre-law minor from John Brown before graduating from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.
Valerie Erkman
VP, Marketing
Arkansas Federal Credit Union
Amber Farley
Partner/EVP, Brand Development
Financial Marketing Solutions
Dana Ferguson
VP/Consumer Loan Officer
Generations Bank
Kim Finley
VP, Lending
Signature Bank of Arkansas
Kim Finley is a vice president of lending at Signature Bank of Arkansas in Jonesboro. She was part of the founding team who brought Signature Bank to the northeast Arkansas market in 2022. With 27 years of experience in the industry, she is an asset to the Jonesboro team and organization as a whole. Finley was born and raised in Pocahontas and attended Black River Technical College before transferring to Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, where she now resides. She is also a 2023 graduate of the Arkansas Bankers Association banking school.
Amy Fitzgerald
CFO
First National Bank of Commerce
Amy Fitzgerald has served as chief financial officer at First National Bank of Commerce in Walnut Ridge for 10 years, managing the financial operations of the bank. She has worked in banking for 25 years in positions that include vice president-controller, vice president-internal audit manager, vice president-loan officer and associate vice president-assistant controller. Prior to banking, she worked as an auditor for an accounting firm for three years.
Fitzgerald earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. She is a certified community bank internal auditor through Independent Community Bankers of America. She is a graduate of Leadership Jonesboro. She serves as clerk for the Arkansas State Association of Free Will Baptists. Fitzgerald is married to Chuck Fitzgerald, who serves as pastor of First Free Will Baptist in Pocahontas. They have two daughters and three grandsons.
Tasha Flanagin
SVP, Human Resources/Marketing
Bank of 1889
Clarinda Foote
SVP/CAO
Citizens Bank
Kelli Franks
VP, Secondary Market
Priority Bank
Marliz Garcia
Consumer Loan Officer
Southern Bancorp
A native of Glenwood, Marliz Garcia is a bilingual consumer loan officer at Southern Bancorp. She is a 2019 graduate of Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, where she earned a bachelor of business administration in accounting. Garcia is deeply involved in and committed to her local community both through her active service in the Glenwood Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the Glenwood Revitalization Group.
Susan Gunderman
EVP, Lending Service
Petit Jean State Bank
Robin Hackett
COO
First Service Bank
Donna Hall
CFO
Bank of Little Rock
Donna Hall, a certified public accountant, certified regulatory compliance manager and community association management specialist, is chief financial officer at Bank of Little Rock, where she leads financial strategy, regulatory reporting, accounting and human resources for the $275 million community bank. With more than three decades of banking experience, Hall has managed, audited or led nearly every area of the industry, from commercial lending and operations to marketing and information technology. Since joining Bank of Little Rock, she has guided the institution through capital restructuring and growth initiatives while championing the role of community banking in changing lives.
Jessica Hall
Mortgage Loan Originator
Arkansas Federal Credit Union
Megan (Robinson) Hall
CIO
First National Bank
Jennifer Hardin
COO
The Bank of Fayetteville and Farmers & Merchants Bank
Leslie Harp
EVP/CFO
Partners Bank
For more than two decades, Leslie Harp has dedicated her career to banking, driven by a passion for helping organizations thrive and communities grow. Since joining Partners Bank as chief financial officer in 2021 and board member in 2022, she has played a key role in guiding the company’s financial strategy, bringing both vision and expertise to her work. A Bentonville native and a graduate of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Harp is currently located at the bank’s Little Rock office. Her leadership reflects the growing impact of women in banking and the lasting difference they make in their communities and organizations.
Julie Harrelson
SVP/Office Manager
Encore Bank
Julie Harrelson serves as senior vice president and office manager at Encore Bank, bringing more than 24 years of banking experience to her role. She believes strong relationships are the foundation of great banking and is dedicated to building genuine connections with her clients. Passionate about service, Harrelson delivers the concierge-style care that defines Encore Bank’s unprecedented commitment to its clients.
Throughout her career, Harrelson has held leadership positions at Metropolitan National Bank and OneBanc, where she established her reputation as a trusted partner in financial services. She is actively engaged in the community, volunteering with the Arkansas Foodbank and Goodwill Industries of Arkansas and serving as a financial literacy educator for Bryant Public Schools. To Harrelson, the key to being a good banker is simple: Connection is everything. Always be confident in one’s abilities, always be kind to people, and make sure there is an excellent team at one’s back.
A proud Saline County native, Harrelson values family. She is the proud mother of her son, Stayton, and dog mom to a Cavapoo, Kingston.
Kimberly Shaw Harris
SVP, Retail Banking
Gateway Bank
Suzanne Hartman
EVP/CFO
Petit Jean State Bank
Jaclyn Henderson
Market Executive, Northwest Arkansas and Southwest Missouri/Commercial Banking Leader
Regions Bank
Danita High
SVP, Culture & Employee Development
First Community Bank
Danita High currently serves as senior vice president of culture and employee development at First Community Bank. She has served in the banking industry for more than 25 years, along with having roles leading and serving women’s ministry programs both nationally and locally, as well as previous work with various nonprofits. After decades of providing spiritual counsel and encouragement, High stepped out with a goal of becoming a certified life coach. She successfully completed her certification and began coaching on a personal basis.
In the fall of 2022, High was asked to bring her passion for coaching in-house through her position at First Community Bank with the development of a management coaching program. In this role, High works with leaders to help them become their B.E.S.T. — Balance, Efficiency, Support & Trust.
Cindy Holloway
SVP
Riverside Bank
Ashley Hopkins
SVP, Retail Banking
Central Bank
Angela Horton
Sales Manager
Generations Bank
Shannon Howland
Mortgage Lending Supervisor
Arvest Mortgage
Shannon Howland is passionate about serving her clients with the same attention and care as helping her own family and friends. With her extensive background in mortgage processing and closing, Howland is able to provide in-depth knowledge to help faciliate a smooth closing for her clients. Being in the mortgage industry since 2004, she understands that each client has unique circumstances that require attention to detail and thorough questions, along with a desire for a tailored experience to home buying. She is a graduate of Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership.
Kasey Jaracz
VP, Loan Operations
First Service Bank
Gloria Johnson
SVP/Director of Human Resources
First Arkansas Bank & Trust
Heather Jones
President/SVP/Senior Relationship Manager
Bank of America Arkansas
Heather Jones is president of Bank of America Arkansas. As the senior executive for the state, she is responsible for connecting clients, teammates and communities to the full power of the franchise, driving integration across eight lines of business spanning wealth management, consumer, small-business and commercial banking among others. Since assuming her role, Jones has overseen the distribution of $2 million to nonprofits across the state. Based in Little Rock, Jones joined Bank of America in 2005 as a credit analyst in the global commercial bank and has served in several roles within commercial credit and relationship management. She received her undergraduate degree in economics and finance from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and her Master of Business Administration from University of Central Arkansas in Conway. She also has Financial Industry Regulatory Authority certifications for Series 7 and Series 63 securities licenses.
Reagan Jones
AVP/Regional Retail Manager-Central
Chambers Bank
Alisa Kelly
SVP/Director of Audit
Chambers Bank
Paula Kinnamon
EVP
Priority Bank
April Lafferty-Prater
Small Business Banker
Arvest Bank-Cabot
April Lafferty-Prater started her professional banking career as a teller, moving to manager, ending the first phase as a loan assistant to the senior vice president. After leaving to work with special needs students in Cabot schools, she returned to banking as a teller before being promoted to assistant manager, commercial loan assistant at Arvest and finally, small business banker in Cabot. She received her associate’s degree in business administration and management from Arkansas State University-Beebe.
Katie Lambert
Consumer Banking Market Leader
Bank of America
Katie Lambert is vice president and consumer banking market leader at Bank of America Arkansas. In her role, Lambert works with her team to grow and protect the financial well-being of clients and the communities the bank serves by providing the right solutions to help them improve their financial health. She joined Bank of America in 2017 after spending 15 years in the retail clothing industry. She earned an undergraduate degree in English literature and education from the University of Colorado and a Master of Business Administration from Oklahoma State University. She is also a Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional.
Andrea Hogan Lewis
Community Reinvestment Act Officer VP
First Security Bank
Andrea Hogan Lewis, community reinvestment act officer Vice President at First Security Bank, is very active in identifying and meeting the credit services needs within the community. Lewis has a passion for educating youth on the importance of saving money and increasing financial literacy amongst her local school districts and non-profit organizations. She is a strong leader in the Little Rock community as a board member of Economics Arkansas, Sistas-N-Law and RISE by Respectfully Social. She is an advocate for the Arkansas Foodbank and is the Little Rock city director for Ward 6.
Sheila Lilly
EVP
Priority Bank
Alexandra Lundell
SVP
Stephens
Alexandra Lundell joined Stephens in 2014 and currently serves as a senior vice president in the firm’s industrial distribution and services group. Prior to joining the ID&S group, she was an analyst working with the specialty finance and industrial distribution and services investment banking groups where she participated in a wide variety of mergers and acquisitions and capital-raising transactions. Lundell received a Bachelor of Business Administration in banking and finance from the University of Georgia, from which she graduated summa cum laude.
Stefanie Lyles
Branch Manager/Mortgage Banker
The Lyles Team – Sente Mortgage
Stefanie Lyles has more than 17 years of mortgage experience and works to make sure that her clients’ financial goals are met. She has the ability to provide personalized, informed mortgage planning while getting clients to the closing table with as little stress as possible. She specializes in Veterans Affairs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Federal Housing Administration and conventional financing.
Kimberly Markland
President/CEO
Bank of Little Rock
Kim Markland is president and chief executive officer at Bank of Little Rock, leading the $275 million community bank with a focus on growth, service and innovation. She began her career as a state bank examiner, gaining valuable insight into the financial system before moving into community banking. Over the years, she has held leadership roles in lending, retail, audit and executive management, giving her a broad perspective on the industry. Under Markland’s leadership, Bank of Little Rock has navigated capital restructuring and strengthened its balance sheet while staying committed to customers, employees and the local community.
Susannah Marshall
Commissioner and Securities Commissioner
Arkansas State Bank Department
Ashley Martin
Personal Banker
First Community Bank
Ashley Martin serves as a personal banker at First Community Bank, where she assists customers with their daily banking needs and helps individuals and families open new accounts to reach their financial goals. She began her banking career in 2019 and joined First Community Bank in 2021, bringing with her six years of experience in customer service and account management.
Martin proudly served in the Army National Guard for six years, an experience that instilled in her a deep commitment to service and community. That commitment carries over into her volunteer work with the City of Hope Outreach, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the less fortunate. She serves on CoHO’s housing committee, where she plays a role in the Hope Village project, which is building tiny homes for veterans and those experiencing homelessness.
A dedicated mother of four children ages 15, 9, 6 and 4, Martin values her role both at home and in the community. She is passionate about helping others, whether by guiding customers through their financial journey, supporting local veterans or contributing to initiatives that create lasting change.
Gwen Massingill
SVP, Marketing & Community Relations
Petit Jean State Bank
Darla McJunkins
SVP, Commercial Loans & Risk Management
First Service Bank
Meredith Miller
AVP/Customer Care Center Manager
CS Bank
Meredith Miller serves as AVP and customer care center manager at CS Bank in Eureka Springs. With over a decade of service at CS Bank and additional early experience as a teller, Meredith brings a deep understanding of community banking. She played a key leadership role in launching the bank’s Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs), now serving customers at 12 ITMs across 7 locations in northwest Arkansas and southwest Missouri. A passionate community advocate, she is a past president of the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce and has actively supported Huntsville athletic booster clubs for the last seven years. Miller holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Arkansas and a Master of Science in Education from Arkansas State University.
Katherine Mitchell
SVP, Bank Services
Relyance Bank
Melissa Moore
SVP/Regional Executive
Bank OZK
Melissa Moore brings more than two decades of experience in consumer and small-business banking in the Arkansas River Valley region. In her current role as senior vice president regional executive at Bank OZK, Moore has served in leadership roles in commercial banking, credit and small-business lending. Along with years of experience with financial analysis, Moore also brings a strong commitment to customer service in every aspect of the banking business. She graduated from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville with a bachelor’s degree in banking and professional studies.
Paula Moran
Mortgage Loan Officer
Relyance Bank
Leah Jo More
EVP/COO
Grand Savings Bank
Evelyn Morris
SVP, Loan Operations
First Financial Bank
Evelyn Morris joined First Financial Bank in 2014 and led the development to streamline and centralize loan operations across the bank’s national footprint. Morris started her banking career more than 20 years ago at the Arkansas State Bank Department, where she worked as a senior bank examiner. In 2025, she was promoted to senior vice president of loans at First Financial Bank. She is a graduate of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and the Barret School of Banking in Memphis. She was named to the Independent Community Bankers of America “40 Under 40: Community Bank Leaders” list in 2021 and was a 2022 recipient of the Arkansas Bankers Association’s Power Woman in Banking award. She also shares her leadership and expertise outside the workplace, serving as the El Dorado Salvation Army board president and on the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce Board. She is a past board member of the Arkansas Bankers Association Emerging Leaders Council and the United Way of Union County.
Amber Murphy
VP, Marketing
First Financial Bank
Amber Murphy has been at First Financial Bank since 2013 and leads the bank’s brand strategy, marketing, communications and community engagement efforts as vice president and marketing director. A graduate of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and the American Bankers Association Bank Marketing School, Murphy brings both expertise and energy to the banking industry. She is chairman-elect of the Arkansas Bankers Association Ascending Bankers Section, where she helps champion the next generation of leaders, and serves as vice president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union County Board of Directors, reflecting her commitment to giving back and creating opportunities in her community.
Sarah Myers
Agricultural Loan Officer II
Farmers Bank & Trust
Sarah Myers is an Agricultural Loan Officer at Farmers Bank & Trust, where she helps farmers and ranchers access the resources they need to succeed. With more than 16 years of lending experience and a degree in agricultural business from Southern Arkansas University, she brings both financial expertise and firsthand agricultural knowledge to her role. As the co-owner of a poultry and cattle farm in Nashville with her husband, Mark, Myers has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in today’s markets — insight that allows her to better serve her lending clients. She also shares her passion for agriculture with her daughters, Claire and Avery, who are active in rodeo, while she and Mark team rope together.
Andrea Nicholson
SVP/CFO
First State Bank
Amber Offutt
SVP/Controller
Gateway Bank
Cathy Owen
Chairman
Eagle Bank & Trust Co.
Erica Preston
CBO
Chambers Bank
Kathy Ramsey
City President
Southern Bancorp
With more than 42 years of banking experience, Kathy Ramsey is a trusted lender who brings both expertise and heart to every customer interaction. As city president, Ramsey leads Southern Bancorp’s lending efforts in Malvern and the surrounding areas, helping the institution fulfill its mission to provide responsible and responsive financial services to underserved communities. Ramsey has been honored by local publicationsand has served on the Baptist Medical Center-Hot Spring County Board of Directors, the City of Malvern Revolving Loan Fund Committee and the Hot Spring County Economic Development Board.
Brandi Ray
AVP/Senior Loan Officer
Farmers Bank & Trust
Brandi Ray is a Commercial Loan Officer at Farmers Bank & Trust, where she brings more than 20 years of banking experience to her clients and community. She began her career as a teller before advancing through roles as loan assistant, retail lender, and retail loan officer, gaining a well-rounded perspective on customer needs. Ray is an active leader beyond the bank as well. She completed the Hot Spring County Leadership Forum, served on the Arkansas Bankers Association Board of Directors, and chaired the ABA’s Group 3. Locally, she spent eight years on the Malvern Brickfest Board and currently serves as finance chair for the Hot Spring County Elk Foundation and treasurer of the Hot Spring County 4-H Foundation. Ray and her husband, Nathan, have been married for 21 years and live in Hot Spring County with their daughters, Gracie and Lainey, where they manage a farm with cattle, poultry, and plenty of time spent at horse shows and barrel races.
Phyllis Riggins
Managing Director/Head of Media
Stephens
Phyllis Riggins joined Stephens in 2008 as a managing director in the media group. Most recently, she was a managing director at Bluffview Capital, an investment banking boutique firm in Dallas. Previously, Riggins was a managing director and group head of the global media and telecommunications corporate and investment banking group of Banc of America Securities, formerly NationsBanc Montgomery Securities. There, she was responsible for the coverage of U.S. and European relationships in the cable/broadband, broadcasting, publishing, out-of-home media, content, and wireline and wireless telecommunications sectors. She spent more than 20 years at Banc of America and its predecessors, working with clients on a variety of strategic alternatives and solutions, including mergers and acquisitions, private and public equity, and private and public debt. She is also a former director of Clear Channel Communications. Riggins graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee and received an Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in Texas.
Lori Ross
Arkadelphia President
Citizens Bank
Hillis Schild
Director of Communications and Community Development
Arvest Bank
Hillis Schild is a longtime resident of Little Rock where she began working in the banking industry more than 29 years ago. She is the director of communications and community development for Arvest Bank for northeast, southwest and central Arkansas. Her role focuses on internal and external communication, as well as assisting the bank in meeting expectations of the Community Reinvestment Act. She currently provides technical and financial advice through service on the following organizations’ board of directors or advisory committees: Arkansas Coalition for Housing and Neighborhood Growth and Empowerment, SoMa 501, Junior Achievement of Arkansas – Central Advisory Board, Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation, Pulaski County Brownfield Revolving Loan Committee, University District Development Corporation, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Community Development Advisory Council, and the Heartland Renaissance Low-Income Advisory Committee.
Mickey Belle Shields-Manley
AVP/Director of Marketing
CS Bank
Mickey Belle Shields-Manley is assistant vice president and director of marketing at CS Bank, a $610 million community bank headquartered in Eureka Springs. A young leader in financial marketing, she directs the bank’s brand, market, and community development strategy. She attended Arkansas Tech University and later completed the American Bankers Association Bank Marketing School, where she achieved the CFMP designation, the industry’s top certification for bank marketers. Shields-Manley serves on the ABA Bank Marketing School Advisory Board, the ABA Marketing and Member Engagement Committee, and the ABA Ascending Bankers Advisory Board. Her leadership has been recognized with the Arkansas Bankers Association’s 2023 Bill Holmes Emerging Leader Award and as one of Arkansas’s Future 50 leaders to watch. She also helped guide CS Bank to national recognition as ICBA’s 2023 Best Community Bank to Work For and American Banker’s 2024 honoree.
Kristi Shuster
VP/Commercial and Consumer Lender
Bank of Little Rock
Kristi Shuster is vice president and commercial and consumer lender at Bank of Little Rock, where she has built lasting relationships with customers through more than three decades of service. She began her career in banking 42 years ago and has grown alongside the bank, developing expertise in retail banking, security and lending. Known for her customer-focused approach, Shuster has become a trusted partner for local business owners and a cornerstone of the bank’s success. Her dedication reflects the mission of community banking at its best.
Dana Silaski
Managing Director
Stephens
Dana Silaski joined Stephens in 1994. She is a managing director in the private capital markets group and leads the private company advisory team. Throughout her career, Silaski has advised private and family-owned companies, often multigenerational, as they consider financing alternatives and paths to maximize value. Silaski has played a key role in structuring and negotiating private capital transactions for Stephens’ corporate clients across a broad range of industries and with a variety of capital sources, including family offices. Her experience includes minority and control transactions and preparing for and executing merger and acquisition transactions, as well as debt, equity and equity-linked financings. Prior to Stephens, Silaski managed equity and fixed income portfolios at a regional trust company. She is a chartered financial analyst and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with high honors in finance at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.
Itzel Meador Sims
SBA Director
First Security Bank
Itzel Sims serves as the Small Business Administration director at First Security Bank, overseeing all facets of SBA loan operations. With a robust 25-year background in small business lending, Sims has excelled in empowering small businesses and addressing challenges that traditional financing often overlooks. Sims leads efforts for loan origination, processing, servicing and liquidation of SBA loans. Her skills to empower small businesses is evident in her success in securing more than $700 million through SBA loan programs.
Simone Singh
Commercial Loan Officer
The Bank of Fayetteville and Farmers & Merchants Bank
Tracey Snell
Consumer Banking Manager
Regions Financial Corp.
Lauren Sanders Staton
AVP, Treasury Management Administration & Sales
Relyance Bank
Paula Coffield Styers
SVP, Commercial Lending
Relyance Bank
Cheryl Taylor
SVP, Business Solutions
First National Bank
Sarah Lynch Tefteller
VP/Commercial Loan Officer
Generations Bank
Judy Thompson
Accountant Relationship Manager
Gateway Bank
Donna Townsell
Director of Investor Relations
Centennial Bank
Lorrie P. Trogden
President & CEO
Arkansas Bankers Association
Lorrie Trogden serves as the president and CEO of the Arkansas Bankers Association. She leads the association’s strategic initiatives including planning, member services, governance and legislative affairs at the state and federal level. Trogden has a Bachelor of Arts in political science, a Master of Science in operations management and is an American Society of Association Executives Certified Association Executive.
She serves as a trustee for the Graduate Schools of Banking at Louisiana State University and Wisconsin, as Economics Arkansas vice chairman, on the ACC Capital Executive Committee, and on the boards of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas, Arkansas Society of Professional Lobbyists and Arkansas State Business Executives.
Jamie Waller
VP/Loan Officer
Peoples Bank
Maret Cahill Wicks
SVP
Arvest Bank
As SVP and marketing manager at Arvest Bank, Maret Cahill Wicks, CFMP, leads a team focused on building meaningful connections within the community while driving strategic growth across the market. With a background in nonprofit leadership and more than 10 years of experience in marketing, she specializes in aligning campaigns with business goals, supporting sales strategy and ensuring regulatory compliance, including CRA. Wicks is passionate about financial education, inclusive outreach and creating programs that truly make an impact. She is CFMP-certified and a proud board member of the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund.
Rhea Williams
VP/CRA/Compliance Officer
First Arkansas Bank & Trust
Evelyn Witham
Mortgage Loan Originator
Arkansas Federal Credit Union
Natalie Womack
SVP, Lending Operations
Simmons Bank
Natalie Womack serves as the senior vice president of lending operations at Simmons Bank, where she leads the strategic direction and execution of the bank’s consumer loan origination, servicing and default operations across a six-state footprint.
Since joining Simmons in 2016, she has led the transformation of the consumer default servicing function with a strong emphasis on regulatory and legal compliance, risk mitigation and operational controls. In 2018, her role expanded to include consumer loan servicing and loan origination, where she continues to drive performance results through process optimization and team development.
A proud alum of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville with more than 18 years in mortgage servicing and 7 years in consumer loan origination, Womack has successfully led through complex regulatory environments while driving innovation and operational excellence across the lending operations.
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