Armor Bank announces Chad May as Chief Executive Officer

Forrest City-based Armor Bank and its holding company, Big Creek Bancshares Inc., announced Friday (April 6) the appointment of Chad May as CEO. May will be based in Little Rock, where the bank is planning to expand. The $67.1 million-asset lender has two branches, both in Forrest City.

Armor Bank is the former Forrest City Bank, founded in 1919. It is owned by Mark Waldrip. The bank changed owners when Big Creek Bancshares acquired Forrest City Financial Corp., the parent company of Forrest City Bank, in December of 2016.

The company was renamed Armor Bank in March 2017.

“I am very honored to join the Armor Bank team,” May said in a news release. “I have a great deal of respect for the entire Waldrip family and I am excited to lead such a talented group of individuals as we work toward growing our central Arkansas presence and beyond.

“Armor Bank has a great focus on our customer base and our values align in our dedication to growth and client service. It is a great opportunity to build upon a long history of 99 years of success in the Forrest City area.”

May has nearly 20 years of experience in the banking industry and spent the past nine year working for Regions Bank, responsible for 18 commercial lenders across multiple markets in Arkansas.

“We are fortunate to have Chad join our team,” Waldrip said in the release. “He brings a passion for customer service, along with a dedication to excellence.  Chad shares the value we place on our employees and clients. He is the right fit for our culture and will be an asset as we grow.”

May is a board member for the Downtown Little Rock Partnership and is the current chairman of the Centers for Youth and Families board.  He has also held various roles with United Way, Arkansas Bankers Association Emerging Leaders, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement and Arkansas Food Bank.

May, a Pine Bluff native, graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing management. He and his wife Joye live in Little Rock with their two children, Jackson and Mary Alice.