Forty Under 40: Matthew Mason

Matthew Mason saw more grain than greenbacks in his future when he left the University of Arkansas with a masters degree in agricultural economics in 1993. During graduate school, the Jonesboro native had started working as an economist for the Arkansas Extension Service in Little Rock. In 1994, the Bayou Grain and Chemical Co. hired him to be its grain merchandiser.

In 1996, Mason joined Simmons Bank in Dumas as an agricultural lender. While there, Mason started making small business loans and discovered that he enjoyed helping Arkansas entrepreneurs realize success in their businesses. Seven years and three banks later, Mason joined The Bank of Fayetteville as a vice president of commercial loans.

Now a senior vice president at the bank, Mason would like to make The Bank of Fayetteville a Small Business Administration lender of choice. In 2005 the bank made only three SBA loans but is on track to make more than 12 this year.

Mason, who recently served on the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce small business committee, spends much of his time after work coaching area soccer and baseball teams. A recreational runner, Mason would one day like to finish a triathlon.