• $1+ billion in assets• $2+ billion in loans• 40 locations• $110+ million in community investments
America’s Largest America’s Largest Rural Rural
Development Development BankBank
MissionMissionSouthern Bancorp is a bank holding company Southern Bancorp is a bank holding company
committed to helping transform rural economies by committed to helping transform rural economies by creating new trends of investment in people, jobs, creating new trends of investment in people, jobs,
businesses and property.businesses and property.
Mississippi River Delta: America’s Poorest Mississippi River Delta: America’s Poorest RegionRegion
• 25% + poverty rates and child 25% + poverty rates and child povertypoverty• 45% + child poverty rate45% + child poverty rate• 40% + high school dropout rates40% + high school dropout rates• 10% + unemployment10% + unemployment
Model
Southern Bancorp Community BanksSouthern Bancorp Community Banks
• Strategic planning processStrategic planning process• Middle-outMiddle-out• 300 residents participated300 residents participated• 500 meetings held over 18-500 meetings held over 18-monthsmonths• Ongoing engagementOngoing engagement
Strategic Planning Process
• Promoting equality among all residents• Building strong leadership• Advancing economic development• Preserving cultural history and natural resources• Supporting education and quality healthcare
Strategic Community Planning – Vision and Plan
OutcomesOutcomesPhillips County, ArkansasPhillips County, Arkansas
• 1,0001,000 people’s lives changed people’s lives changed• 144,000144,000 people impacted people impacted• Over Over $70,000,000 $70,000,000 leveragedleveraged
Education – KIPP Delta
Education – Traditional Public Schools
Scores in traditional public schools increased by 8% in Scores in traditional public schools increased by 8% in one yearone year
Connecting the Dots - Education
Parental Parental InvolvemenInvolvemen
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Core Core KnowledgeKnowledge
Master Master TeacherTeacher
Teacher Teacher HousingHousing
Teach for Teach for ArkansasArkansas
LEADLEAD
School School TurnaroundTurnaround
Pay Pay Incentives Incentives
for for TeachersTeachers
Education Education ConsultantConsultant
KIPPKIPP
KIPP KIPP ExpansioExpansio
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Phillips Phillips County County
ChallengeChallenge
LEAD LEAD ExpansionExpansion
Leadership Development
500 member Boys and Girls Club of Phillips County 500 member Boys and Girls Club of Phillips County openedopened
Economic Development
40 million gallon per year biodiesel 40 million gallon per year biodiesel facility builtfacility built
Economic Development
Sweet potato storage facility Sweet potato storage facility openedopened
Economic Development - Tourism
• New downtown businesses opened, including canoe New downtown businesses opened, including canoe rentalrental• Downtown Master Plan completedDowntown Master Plan completed• Civil War tourism plan completedCivil War tourism plan completed
Economic Development - Tourism
KIPP KIPP ExpansionExpansion
Cleburne Cleburne HotelHotel
Court Court SquareSquare
Brownfield Brownfield SitesSites
CentenniaCentennial Churchl Church
Jefferson Jefferson SchoolSchool
Old Old Helena Helena High High
SchoolSchool
Nicholas Nicholas HotelHotel
River River ParkPark
New New LibraryLibrary
Civil War Civil War TourismTourism
Shops & Shops & RestaurantsRestaurants
Buck IslandBuck Island
Levee Walk Levee Walk & Trails& Trails
Economic Development – Family Assets
Housing
• 300+ properties cleaned up; 600+ cars 300+ properties cleaned up; 600+ cars removedremoved• Revolving loan fund for downtown Revolving loan fund for downtown establishedestablished
Before After
Housing
• 20-unit high quality housing 20-unit high quality housing developmentdevelopment• 100% occupancy since opening in 100% occupancy since opening in 20072007
Thank You!Thank You!
