Summit Bank opens loan office in Fort Smith

by The City Wire staff ([email protected]) 234 views 

Summit Bank has announced the opening of a consumer and commercial loan office in Fort Smith.

The office, which will serve the region, is located at 4611 Rogers Ave., Suite 101. During the next 15 months, Summit Bank plans to open a full-service branch in the area.

Based in Arkadelphia, Summit Bank has assets of $1.1 billion and has 23 locations in Arkadelphia, Benton, Bryant, Conway, Fort Smith, Hope, Hot Springs, Hot Springs Village, Little Rock, Magnolia and Malvern.

Don Keesee is the regional president. Philip Doss joins Summit as an executive vice president and commercial lender, and Corey Story was hired as the loan assistant.

Keesee has more than 30 years of financial sector experience. He has been involved in several community organizations including: Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, Fort Smith Symphony, Western Arkansas Counseling and Guidance Center, Girls Inc. of Fort Smith and the Fort Smith Public Schools, and is an alumni of the Leadership Fort Smith Program, (Class of 1998).

“Summit Bank is honored to have Don as a new member of the ‘Summit Team.’ We are excited to be expanding our footprint into Fort Smith with seasoned bankers like Don, Philip and Corey,” Ross Whipple, chairman and CEO of Summit Bank, said in a statement. “With the expertise and commitment of bankers who have firsthand knowledge of the Fort Smith community, we are ensured to deliver superior value to our customers.”

Doss has 17 years of commercial banking experience and has managed a loan portfolio of $60 million. He earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas, is a graduate of Leadership Fort Smith and has been involved in several community organizations including the United Way.

Story has 20 years of experience managing and handling loan portfolios of up to $50 million.