Southern Bank has served the financial needs of America’s Heartland for over 130 years, making us one of
the oldest financial institutions headquartered in the region.
We were originally chartered in 1887 as a mutual institution that was owned by its depositors. Our original
founders deposited $100,000 in the Poplar Bluff Loan and Building in order to provide financing to help
people buy homes. The name was chosen to symbolize our original purpose.
Our Company’s assets grew slowly from $100,000 at its founding to $950,000 on December 3, 1951,
when Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation insured our deposits. Afterward, we started an
impressive period of growth in which assets would increase to $23 million at December 31, 1969. The next
phase of our growth was partially due to expansion into neighboring communities. On April 11, 1969,
we opened our first branch in Dexter, Missouri, followed soon by other branches. In 1975, the institution
changed its name to Southern Missouri Savings and Loan. In 1982, we acquired an office in Van Buren,
Missouri.
On April 13, 1994, we completed a conversion from mutual ownership to a publicly traded stock company.
Our stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “SMBC”. At January 1, 2000, the
Bank’s assets were $221 million. As we grew, we continued to be a provider of home financing, but also
focused on small business lending, commercial deposit products, consumer lending and consumer deposit
products. Reflecting this business model, we became Southern Missouri Bank. Between 2000 and 2008, we added an additional six branches in Southeast Missouri.
In 2009, the Bank added four branches in and around two great Arkansas communities: Jonesboro and
Paragould. It was at that time that the decision was made to change our name to Southern Bank, to reflect
the change in our regional presence. Following the acquisition of the four Arkansas locations, the Bank’s
assets totaled $511 million. In 2010, a second acquisition in Arkansas was completed, as well as the
opening of a loan production office in Springfield Missouri. In 2011, we received approval to convert the
Springfield office to a full-service branch.
The year 2013 brought another year of growth. A second branch was built in Jonesboro, Arkansas, a new
building was built for the Searcy, Arkansas branch, as well as the acquisition of 3 branches in Thayer, Alton
and West Plains, Missouri. In late 2013, Southern Bank announced the agreement to merge with Citizens
State Bank of Bald Knob, Arkansas. That transaction was complete in early 2014. Also in early 2014,
Southern Bank announced its intent to merge with Peoples Bank of the Ozarks. That transaction was
completed on December 8, 2014.
In June 2017, the latest acquisition was completed with Capaha Bank, which added an additional 6
branches in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.
Upon the completion of the Southern Missouri Bank of Marshfeild conversion, Southern Bank’s total
assets comes to approximately $1.9 billion. The combined company will operate 41 total locations in
Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois.
