Forty Under 40: Scott S. Jeffus

Scott Jeffus, 34, was born in Fayetteville, but from the time he was 8, his family moved all over the state and country due to his father’s ever-changing job in the newspaper industry.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in international business from what was then East Texas State University in 1995, Jeffus himself moved around for a time. In 1997, he followed his father’s footsteps and joined American Publishing Co. as advertising director for the Huntsville Item in Huntsville, Texas. Then he moved on to be the publisher of La Villa in Hot Springs Village. From there, he was recruited by Wehco Media Group and joined the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, where he was the advertising manager in Northwest Arkansas from 1999 to 2002.

Ready for a change of pace, Jeffus made a leap of faith in the middle of the refinancing boom and joined United Bank of Springdale. There he helped the thrift out with marketing, but quickly began to work his way into the lending business.

In June of 2005, he was recruited as one of the first 30 people to join startup Signature Bank of Arkansas.

Jeffus, who teaches tennis in his spare time, manages a portfolio of about $10 million for Signature. He estimates he has originated between $67 million and $70 million in loans since 2002, most of that at Signature Bank.