Great Southern Bank hires banking vet Fulp

Provided by Great Southern Bank

Rob Fulp joins the company as regional managing director of commercial lending for the Springfield, southwest Missouri and Arkansas markets.

Great Southern Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq: GSBC) has hired veteran banker Rob Fulp two years after he retired from the industry.

Fulp joined the company, which does business as Great Southern Bank, today as regional managing director of commercial lending for the Springfield, southwest Missouri and Arkansas markets, according to a news release. It's a new position for Great Southern, said spokesperson Kelly Polonus.

"Being away from the industry for two years definitely underscored that my passion for banking and serving customers runs deep. I’m more than ready to get back to work and appreciate the encouragement of others in helping make this decision," Fulp said in the release. "Great Southern, along with its strength and scope, made this a great fit for the next phase of my banking career.”

Fulp, who has more than 40 years of banking experience in the Springfield market, most recently led Springfield First Community Bank as president and CEO for 10 years until his 2021 retirement. SFC Bank has since merged into Guaranty Bank as part of a $152 million acquisition by Moline, Illinois-based QCR Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: QCRH). Monte McNew, who succeeded Fulp at SFC Bank, now serves as CEO of Guaranty.

Fulp in mid-2021 started working at Missouri State University as executive in residence, according to past reporting. Polonus said Fulp is exiting his role at MSU but would continue to serve on the College of Business Executive Advisory Council.

In the release, Great Southern Bank President and CEO Joe Turner said, "It is nice to call Rob a teammate, instead of a friendly competitor."

"Rob is an excellent banker, and we have long respected his work in the Springfield market. Great Southern and our customers will greatly benefit from Rob’s leadership and expertise," Turner added in the release.

With total assets of $5.7 billion, Great Southern has 91 branches in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Arkansas and Nebraska, as well as commercial loan production offices in Atlanta; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Omaha, Nebraska; Phoenix; and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

GSBC shares were trading at $49.51 as of 10:36 a.m., compared with a 52-week range of $49.04 to $64.16 per share.