Forty Under 40: Brandon Barber

Many developers have moved their focus north out of Fayetteville because of the citys complicated building codes. Brandon Barber, 27, said less competition sounded like a good reason to stay.

The vice president of business development at Community Bank of North Arkansas, Barber has his fingers in a lot of sweet pies. Through his residential construction firm Barbers Homes Inc. and management company Barber Properties LLC, the Jonesboro native will build about 150 homes during the next fiscal year.

And through a collaboration with friend David Dallas, Barber is also in on Dallas Real Estate Services Inc.

Barber graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1998 with a degree in journalism, which is why he tells his banker buddies, I can write a heck of a credit memo.

While in school, he served as an associate producer of KBHS/KHOG TV, Channels 40/29, in Fayetteville, working the 3 a.m.-9 a.m. slot. Although he wanted to go into show biz, the wee-morning hours convinced him to at least give banking a try.

He started work in 1999 at what was then Bank of Elkins. About that time, the bank was bought out by Chambers Bancshares of Danville, which is owned by Barbers father-in-law and mentor, Johnny Chambers.