Connections: Missouri bank names Northwest Arkansas community board

Missouri-based Sterling Bank, a recent entrant to the Northwest Arkansas banking market, has formed its first community board.

Eric Arthur is board chairman. Other members include Johnathon Welch, Dan Cheek, Alan Cole, Dan Ellis, Cory Scott and Holland Weaver.

Welch is Sterling Bank’s regional president in Northwest Arkansas, with assistance from operations manager Charles Johnson.

Sterling Bank opened a loan production office in leased space on College Avenue in Fayetteville during the summer. The office is now a full-service branch, and the bank broke ground in November on a 16,000-square-foot banking center on Steele Boulevard in Fayetteville. Similar locations are planned in Bentonville and Rogers.

Sterling Bank is the wholly owned subsidiary of Sterling Bancshares Inc. The company had $1.27 billion in assets as of Sept. 30, according to the FDIC.

NEW HIRES
Banking & Finance
Gary Sams
Fayetteville
Employer: First Security Bank
Title: senior vice president, commercial lending
Previous employer: Grand Savings Bank
Previous title: senior vice president, commercial lending

Food Production
Carol Anne Braswell
Rogers
Employer: Pepper Source Ltd.
Title: recruitment and retention specialist
Previous employer: Cameron Smith & Associates
Previous title: operations, recruiting and administration manager

Healthcare
Garrett B. Sanford
Fayetteville
Employer: Washington Regional Medical Center
Title: cardiologist; Walker Heart Institute Cardiovascular Clinic
Previous employer: Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville
Previous title: cardiologist

Nonprofit
Tim Hudson
Fayetteville
Employer: Arisa Health
Title: chief philanthropy officer
Previous employer: Washington Regional Medical Foundation
Previous title: executive director

PROMOTIONS
Banking & Finance
Stan Rodgers
Fayetteville
Employer: First Security Bank
Title: vice president, commercial lending
Previous title: assistant vice president, commercial lending

APPOINTMENTS
Nonprofit
Stephanie Thomas
Fayetteville
Employer: University of Arkansas
Title: associate professor of practice of supply chain management
Appointment: board of advisers
Organization: Achieving Women’s Excellence in Supply Chain Operations, Management & Education (AWESOME)

AWARDS
Nonprofit
Ross Phillips
Rogers
Employer: Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce
Title: senior vice president of community development
Award: 40 Under 40
Organization: Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE)