Southern Bancorp

By Katie Zakrzewski and Mark Carter  The wild ride that was 2020 came with consolation prizes, among them a significant increase in the focus on awareness of racial injustice. Southern Bancorp CEO Darrin Williams believes much work remains to be…

By Katie Zakrzewski and Mark Carter Former Arkansas House Speaker Pro-Tem Darrin Williams became CEO of Southern Bancorp in 2013 after a six-year stint in the state legislature and a run as managing partner at the Carney, Williams, Bates, Pulliam…

Banks do not magically process your paychecks, update your online accounts or manage digital systems. If there is any magic involved, it’s due to core software that enables banks and financial institutions to get these essential functions done quietly and…

Southern Bancorp Inc. is set to acquire DeWitt First Bankshares Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiary Arkansas County Bank as part of a merger agreement. Founded in 1912, Arkansas County Bank services Arkansas,  Prairie, Lonoke, Sevier, Little River, and Howard counties,…

Thomas “Hunter” Deweese has been tapped to serve as the Small Business Administration (SBA) president for Southern Bancorp. Most recently, Deweese served as the senior SBA agricultural lending officer for Southern Bancorp, a Community Development Financial Institution. He joined Southern…

Southern Bancorp CEO Darrin Williams has been named to the 2020 Bloomberg 50. This annual list highlights prominent leaders across multiple fields, from finance to politics and from entertainment to technology. According to Bloomberg’s website, the fourth-annual Bloomberg 50 list…

By Charlestein Harris Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, I’ve had a steady stream of concerned entrepreneurs reaching out to me about their businesses. They’re scared, and I completely understand why. To hear them explain it, it’s a little like going…

Two Arkansas entities have received more than $80 million in federal New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) allocations for 2019. Arkansas Capital Corporation has been awarded $35 million for the 2019 calendar year through the Heartland Renaissance Fund, while Southern Bancorp…

by Becky Gillette As a state made up primarily of rural communities, Arkansas should be concerned about the declining number of bank branches, says Southern Bancorp CEO Darrin Williams.   “At Southern, a rural-focused, mission-driven financial institution, we’ve actually been focused…

Six companies and government agencies were recently recognized for their contributions in promoting Arkansas’ minority and women-owned businesses. During a Small, Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise event, Arkansas Economic Development Commission officials honored the six winners. The categories included State…