(January 31, 2016 – Poplar Bluff, MO) Southern Bank recently announced the appointment of Mark Hecker as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer. Hecker will be a member of the institution’s executive leadership team, while also assuming the role of Regional President for Southern Bank’s south region. In addition, he will lead the effort of establishing a Southern Bank presence in the Kansas City metro.
Hecker brings more than 25 years of banking experience to Southern Bank. Most recently, Hecker served as Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at BankLiberty in Liberty, MO. He has also served as a bank regulator for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Hecker has a degree in Accounting from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.
In assuming this new role, Hecker will remain in the Kansas City area. As Southern Bank continues to expand, the institution has made a strong commitment to advanced technology allowing its leaders to effectively and efficiently fulfill multiple roles from various locations.
“I am looking forward to bringing Southern Bank’s relationship style of banking to the western Missouri market,” said Hecker. “I believe our philosophy and product suite will be very competitive and serve our future clients well.”
Earlier this month, Southern Missouri Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: SMBC), the parent corporation of Southern Bank, and Tammcorp, Inc., the parent corporation of Capaha Bank, announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement whereby Southern Missouri will acquire Tammcorp, Inc. in a stock and cash transaction. As part of the transaction, Capaha Bank will be merged with and into Southern Bank. Capaha Bank operates six branches, three of which are located in Cape Girardeau County in southeast Missouri, along with three branches in Alexander and Union counties in southern Illinois. On a pro forma basis, following the acquisition, the combined company’s total assets will approximate $1.7 billion, with total loans, net, of $1.4 billion, and total deposits of $1.3 billion. The combined company will operate 42 locations in Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois.
“In recent years, Southern Bank has experienced tremendous growth through acquisitions and the opening of new branch locations. Now a $1.5 billion institution with expectations of continued growth, our board of directors and executive leadership team realizes the importance of aligning the management structure of Southern Bank to meet the demands of this growth,” said Greg Steffens, President and CEO of Southern Bank. “Mark’s experience and leadership in the financial industry brings additional strength to our Company’s executive leadership team. It will also improve the effectiveness of our efforts to serve customers and position Southern Bank for future growth.”
About Southern Bank
Southern Bank has served the financial needs of America's Heartland for over 130 years, making it one of the oldest financial institutions headquartered in the region. Southern Bank offers dynamic and competitive products to individuals and businesses with a full range of financial products and services. An intense focus is placed on core values of being strongly rooted within the communities it serves, but Southern Bank also offers the innovative technology and ease of accessibility consumers seek from larger banks. Southern Bank is now a $2.1 billion financial institution, with 47 locations in Southern Missouri, Northern Arkansas and Southern Illinois. For more information, visit www.bankwithsouthern.com.