BancorpSouth's chairman of the board has been elected to lead the nation's largest national banking association for the coming year.
On Tuesday, Oct. 8, the American Bankers Association elected Aubrey B. Patterson Jr. of Tupelo, Miss., to serve as its chairman for 2002-03. Patterson is chairman of the board and CEO of the Tupelo-based bank Bancorp- South, as well as the bank's holding company, BancorpSouth, Inc. The election took place in Phoenix, Ariz., at the ABA's Annual Convention, held Oct. 5-8.
ABA executive director Donald Ogilvy had praise for Patterson on a national level. "He has a good vision of what he wants to get done, he surrounds himself with good people, and he has the discipline to allow people to do what they do best," he said.
Patterson served the ABA as president-elect last year. Effective with Patterson's term, the office formerly known as president is now known as chairman.
As head of BancorpSouth, Inc., Patterson leads a bank holding company with $10 billion in assets. The subsidiary bank, BancorpSouth, has 240 banking locations in six states -- Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.
Patterson has served on the ABA Board of Directors since 1997, and he has been very involved in ABA committees, boards and councils. He has served as a member of the ABA Government Relations Council and formerly chaired the ABA American Bankers' Council.
"Aubrey has been a mentor to the Association," said Mississippi Bankers Association President Griffin Norquist of Yazoo City. He describes Patterson as a gentleman and a pleasure to deal with. "I think he's going to be a tremendous ABA chairman because of those attributes," Norquist said. "He has kept active at the local level, and it's great to have his support and the support of his bank here in Mississippi."
Jim Kelley, BancorpSouth president and chief operating officer, said, "Aubrey is a person who consistently gravitates toward leadership roles. He is bright, hard-working, has a grasp of what needs to be done and has a record of accomplishing goals."
Patterson is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and holds a master's degree from Michigan State University. He also completed the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Patterson received the National Defense Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Other honors Patterson has received include election to the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame in 1997 and the University of Mississippi Alumni Hall of Fame in 2001.
Patterson served as president of the Mississippi Bankers Association in 1995-96 and continues to be active in the Association. He formerly chaired the Business Advisory Council at the University of Mississippi and has served on the Conference of State Bank Supervisors' Board of Directors. Patterson has served as chairman of three boards dedicated to community enrichment, including the Community Development Foundation, the North Mississippi Health Services, and the Mississippi Economic Council. He is involved in numerous other activities and boards.
Patterson is the fourth Mississippian to serve as ABA president/chairman, following in the footsteps of Howard L. McMillan Jr. of Jackson, 1994; W. Liddon McPeters of Corinth, 1976; and Nat S. Rogers of Madison, 1969.
Patterson and his wife, Ruby Kathryn, are members of the First Presbyterian Church in Tupelo. He has served two terms as a member of the executive committee and the board of trustees of the national Foundation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
SOURCE: BancorpSouth, Inc.
CONTACT: Kristen Kern, Director of Communications of MBA,
+1-601-948-6366
Web site: http://www.bancorpsouth.com/