The Board of Directors of Farmers & Merchants Bank and The Bank of Fayetteville has welcomed Matt Mason back to The Bank of Fayetteville as the Northwest Arkansas Market President, where he will oversee retail and lending operations for eight bank locations.  This announcement follows the promotion of longtime employees Jennifer Hardin, who will now serve as Chief Operations Officer, and Tyler Morgan, who will serve as Chief Risk Officer for the financial institution.

Mason comes to his new position at The Bank of Fayetteville with 27 years of financial industry experience in agricultural and commercial lending in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Mason is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with degrees in both Agribusiness and Agri Economics and is an alumnus of the prestigious Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.

He previously worked at The Bank of Fayetteville as the Senior Vice President for Commercial Loans before leaving for Claremore, Oklahoma, where he has served as the Executive Vice President and Market President for RCB Bank for the past 13 years. His work experience also includes Arkansas’s agricultural industry with stints as an economist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service and a grain merchandiser.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to return to The Bank of Fayetteville and to lead a great team that has been an anchor in the community for more than 100 years,” said Mason. “Northwest Arkansas is home.  It’s an exciting time in Fayetteville, and I look forward to getting involved with the community and reconnecting with friends and customers throughout the region.”

“When Jennifer Hardin moved to the role of COO, we immediately began to search for an executive that understood the culture and rich history of The Bank of Fayetteville,” said Greg Connell, EVP, Chief Revenue Officer. “We found that in a former employee Matt Mason. After serving as market leader for an Oklahoma bank for the past 13 years, he was ready to come back home to Fayetteville. We are fortunate to have him as the new BOF Market President.”

Hardin brings more than 25 years of experience to her new role as Chief Operations Officer. Since starting her career with The Bank of Fayetteville as a part-time teller after high school, Hardin has worked as a loan processor, lender, branch manager and as the Vice President, Retail Operations Officer. Most recently, Hardin served as the Market President for The Bank of Fayetteville. She holds a Bachelor’s from the University of Arkansas and is an alumnus of the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado.

“Jennifer brings years of experience to her new role managing the bank's comprehensive operations,” said Kelly Houghton, EVP, Chief Operating Officer. “She has demonstrated the ability to work within a large scope and has a deep understanding of our customer base and culture. I am excited to see what she is able to develop and accomplish as she leads this team to faster efficiency growth and stronger operational performance.”

Morgan, who was named Chief Risk Officer, joined Farmers and Merchants Bank in 2018 and most recently served as Chief Security Officer. He comes to his new role with eight years of experience in the financial industry and 12 years of history in the risk and security fields.

A native of Star City, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and is a licensed attorney for the State of Arkansas.

“Tyler is a proven leader that brings a breadth of knowledge and experience to our bank's risk management program,” added Houghton. “His strong foundation in cyber security, fraud and enterprise risk ensures the protection of our bank's customers, shareholders and employees in a rapidly evolving security environment. It is an honor to work with Tyler, and I look forward to seeing where his initiatives and strategy will lead our bank in the future.”

Farmers and Merchants Bank, headquartered in Stuttgart, is a locally owned community bank with 27 locations across the state of Arkansas, including eight operating as the Bank of Fayetteville. With assets in excess of $1.7 billion, Farmers and Merchants is the 10th largest bank chartered in Arkansas.