FNBC Bank is expanding its investment in the Searcy market with the acquisition of an experienced local banking team led by Rees Jones, who has been named community president. Joining Jones are Andrew Ingle, senior vice president and commercial lender, and Katie Brown, senior commercial lending specialist.
“We see tremendous opportunity in Searcy, and we believe there is room to grow by continuing to invest in great people who know this community and understand the needs of its customers,” said Chad Hudson, CEO & President of FNBC. “We’re excited about the team we’re building and the opportunity to bring FNBC’s true community banking approach to even more customers in this market.”
In July, FNBC announced it had entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger to acquire RiverWind Bancshares, Inc., and its wholly owned subsidiary, RiverWind Bank, which has two branches in Searcy in addition to locations in Augusta and Beebe. The proposed transaction, subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The new FNBC Searcy team is currently serving customers remotely and plans for a permanent office will be announced soon.
“Searcy is home to me and I’m excited to continue serving this community as part of FNBC,” said Jones. “FNBC’s commitment to people and community banking gives us a strong foundation to continue to build on the relationships we’ve developed over the years, create new ones and to grow alongside the very people who make Searcy such a great place to live and work.”
“We have a great deal of respect for the relationships RiverWind bankers have built with their customers and communities, and we are equally excited about the relationships our new FNBC team brings,” said Hudson. “Bringing these two teams together over time gives us an opportunity to build an even stronger community bank in Searcy and across the RiverWind footprint.”
Jones brings over 20 years of banking experience in the Searcy market. He began his career as a part-time teller and worked his way through various roles including loan assistant, consumer lender, commercial lender and senior credit officer. He holds a bachelor of business administration in marketing and a master of business administration, both from Harding University. He is also a graduate of the Southwest Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
Jones currently serves as the Searcy Advertising & Promotion Commissioner. He has been involved with the Searcy Chamber of Commerce, Midnight Oil Coffeehouse, Jacob’s Place Homeless Shelter and United Way of White County. He provides personal finance training to the Harding University College of Allied Health and is a volunteer baseball coach for the Searcy Recreational Sports League. He has held various leadership roles at the Downtown Church of Christ.
Ingle has been a commercial lender in Searcy for more than five years. Prior to his career in banking, he was employed with Halliburton in Houston. He holds a bachelor of business management from Harding University and completed the American Bankers Association’s Commercial Lending School. He currently serves on the Searcy Planning Commission and as a board member at the White County Community Foundation.
Brown has worked in the banking industry for more than 12 years, holding roles in both retail and lending. She has completed coursework at Arkansas State University and holds a Commercial Lending School Certificate from the Arkansas Bankers Association. She also completed the Searcy Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Searcy program in 2024.