Simmons Bank promotes Freddie Black, Chad Rawls to lead new community and metro bank divisions

Pine Buff-based Simmons Bank has established a new organizational structure with the creation of two separate banking divisions — a community bank division and metro bank division.

Freddie Black has been promoted to the chief community banking officer and will lead community market growth across Simmons Bank’s six-state footprint. Chad Rawls has been promoted to chief metro banking officer leading the focus on growth in Simmons Bank’s metro markets.

“With the creation of the new banking divisions, we are excited to promote two experienced leaders, Freddie Black and Chad Rawls,” Matt Reddin, Simmons Bank executive vice president and chief banking officer, said in a statement Thursday (May 13). “Simmons Bank was built on relationships and establishing community and metro divisions provides Simmons Bank more opportunity to make decisions on a local level, steward our customers and pursue scalable growth in new markets.”

Black began his banking career in 1980 and has worked for Simmons Bank since the 1984 acquisition of First State Bank and Trust in Lake Village, Ark. He most recently served as the chief business development officer, overseeing business development strategy, including marketing, product development and sales analytics functions.

Rawls began his financial career in 2005 and most recently served as executive vice president and president of corporate banking, overseeing commercial underwriting, loan administration and loan operations for Simmons Bank. Rawls will lead the metro market division while continuing to oversee key corporate banking areas such as SBA, Corporate Treasury Management and Mortgage Warehouse.

Simmons Bank is one of Arkansas’ largest banks, with $23.3 billion in assets as of March 31.  The bank operates 198 branches, including 68 in Arkansas, 48 in Missouri, 33 in Tennessee, 23 in Texas, 20 in Oklahoma and 6 in Kansas.