Greg Martin, a senior vice president at Arvest Bank in Fayetteville, has been hired to succeed James Stobaugh as Simmons First National Bank's top executive in northwest Arkansas.
Martin's title will be community president for Simmons First National Bank. That title has been held by Dennis Ferguson, but the fast-growing bank is restructuring and titles have been changed, spokesman Rex Nelson said. Ferguson's new title is community executive.
Stobaugh, a veteran of the Arkansas banking industry, will remain in an advisory role until he retires at the end of 2016, according to the announcement.
Stobaugh was chairman of Simmons' northwest Arkansas region, but all three Arkansas regions were combined into a single region earlier this year.
Freddie Black, who was chairman of the south Arkansas region and is now regional chairman for the entire state, called Martin "a star in banking" who "will now help us grow Simmons’ market share in northwest Arkansas."
Martin is a 2001 graduate of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville whose banking career in northwest Arkansas started in 2002.
As community executive, Ferguson will retain "extensive lending and operational responsibilities in northwest Arkansas," according to the announcement.