Simmons First National in Pine Bluff, Ark., will have a new leader next year.
The company said in a press release that George Makris Jr. will retire on Dec. 31. Jay Brogdon, the company’s president, will become CEO and join the board on Jan. 1.
Marty Casteel, a former chairman, CEO, and president of Simmons Bank, will become chairman on Jan. 1.
“We are very thankful to George for his decade-plus tenure as CEO, overseeing the Company’s geographic transformation that led to a period of unprecedented growth, often during complex and challenging environments,” Steve Cosse, Simmons’ lead independent director, said in the release. “Under George’s leadership, the board has taken a deliberate and measured approach to succession planning.”