Forty Under 40: Justin Salter

After graduating from the University of Arkansas in 2000, Conway native Justin Salter worked as a bank examiner for the Arkansas State Bank Department in Little Rock for about three years. Then he commuted from his home to Danville to work for Chambers Bank for two years.

During his stint at Chambers, he worked in the banks participations department, so he got to see how large deals are put together and how multiple banks share loans.

When his wife graduated from pharmacy school in 2005, the couple headed back to Northwest Arkansas, where he joined Chambers Bank of North Arkansas.

Salter said he was able to step into a dream job in January as president of the seven-branch bank with more than $307.4 million in assets as of March 31.

Since he took over as president, Salter said the banks assets have grown by about 35 percent.

Were really pin-pointing on larger commercial projects, he said. The banks average loan is $1.6 million, he said.

Salter said hes motivated professionally by thoughts of his family. He wants to give his children more than he had growing up. So he spends as much of his spare time as he can with them.

I love coming to work, he said. But, at 6 oclock each day, I love leaving.