Fayetteville Bank Names Director, Makes Donation

Fayetteville lawyer Woody Bassett joined the Bank of Fayetteville’s board of directors in early August. The addition of the high-profile “friend of Bill” bolsters the bank’s board, which already included one of the area’s most impressive lineups of decision makers.

A partner at the Bassett Law Firm for the last 20 years, Bassett is a lifelong resident of Fayetteville and a graduate of Fayetteville High School, the University of Arkansas and, in 1977, the UA Law School. He was already a member of the Washington Regional Medical Foundation board and is chairman of the North Hills campaign to raise money for the new hospital being built in north Fayetteville.

Bassett has built a reputation for winning seemingly impossible cases. In particular, he was able to restore the eligibility of former UA Razorbacks basketball player Sunday Adebayo even after the NCAA had declared the forward ineligible.

In a release to the press, bank chairman and CEO John Lewis cited Bassett’s “business savvy” and “passion for the community” as reasons for his selection.

The Bank of Fayetteville also recently announced a pledge of $100,000 to the Fayetteville Boys and Girls Club. The club, which serves 3,000 local members, is in the middle of a $1.85 million capital campaign for the construction of new facilities off Wedington Drive in west Fayetteville.

Larry Olson, chief credit officer at Bank of Fayetteville, said when the bank’s board discussed giving money to the Boys and Girls Club’s fund drive, there was no hesitation.

“It was only a question of how much,” Olsen said.