Encore Bank announces changes to leadership team; Phillip Jett to serve as acting CEO

Little Rock-based Encore Bancshares, Inc. and its wholly-owned bank subsidiary, Encore Bank, announced Tuesday (April 30) has accepted the resignation of CEO and Chairman Chris Roberts.

As part of the bank’s succession plan, Phillip Jett was named as acting CEO and chairman during a board meeting held on Monday (April 29). Co-founders Phillip Jett, acting CEO, and Burt Hicks, president, will continue leading the executive team.

Jett and Hicks co-founded Encore Bank in 2019. They partnered with Chris Roberts to transform Capital Bank, a small institution with one location in Little Rock, into Encore Bank, a $4 billion institution with offices in 19 markets across seven states.

“Encore Bank is a financially strong institution that has an industry-leading executive team,” said Rita Lowman, an independent director on Encore Bank’s board of directors. “The bank’s unique culture encourages innovation and growth while promoting cohesion among the company’s employees, investors and customers.”

With more than 32 years of banking experience, Jett has served as Encore Bank’s vice chairman and chief banking officer, overseeing operations across the bank’s 19 markets. Prior to founding Encore Bank, Jett worked at Worthen Bank (now Bank of America) in Central Arkansas, and then as a mortgage loan banker at US Mortgage Company.

Subsequently, he held various positions at Regions Financial from 1997 to 2009, culminating in his role as an executive vice president. He then joined IBERIABANK in August 2009, where he served as president of the Central Arkansas market.

“With his industry experience and financial acumen, Phillip has been instrumental to Encore’s growth and success,” said Michael Mosely, an independent director with Encore Bancshares, Inc. Board of Directors. “I have the utmost confidence that Phillip, in tandem with Burt as our president, will continue to advance Encore’s vision of becoming the premier commercially focused bank in the country. They have helped lead the bank since day one and have the respect and support of our boards and team members.”

As president of Encore, Hicks has been responsible for directing the bank’s strategy and overseeing its corporate departments and business lines. Hicks started his career working on Wall Street as an investment banker for Merrill Lynch and Bank of America.

He later held various roles at Simmons Bank including chief of staff, director of mergers and acquisitions, investor relations officer, corporate secretary, CFO and COO of specialty lending and wealth management, president and CEO of Simmons First Investment Group and Insurance Services, and director of mortgage banking. He holds a degree in business administration, a master’s degree in public service and a law degree.