Simmons Bank makes donation in honor of former board member

provided by Simmons Bank

Jay Burchfield exited Simmons Bank’s board earlier this year.

Pine Bluff, Arkansas-based Simmons First National Corp. (Nasdaq: SFNC), the parent company of Simmons Bank, has made a donation on behalf of a former board member and Springfield businessperson.

Simmons Bank donated $25,000 to the Simmons First Foundation in honor of Jay Burchfield, according to a news release. Burchfield is the retired chair of Springfield-based Ozark Trust and Investment Corporation and its subsidiary company, Trust Company of the Ozarks, which was purchased by Simmons Bank in 2015.

Burchfield, 77, decided not to stand for reelection at Simmons Bank's annual meeting of shareholders, the company disclosed in a March 1 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

"Jay's extensive knowledge of the financial industry and insight have been invaluable to us," said George Makris Jr., Simmons Bank executive chair, in the release. "We have all benefited from his track record of strategic thinking and focus on execution. Jay's leadership and collaboration on the board will be greatly missed, and we are deeply grateful for the significant contributions he has made to our company during his tenure."

Burchfield joined the Simmons board in 2015. The Simmons First Foundation, created in 2014, is designed to give back to communities where the company does business.

Burchfield earlier this year retired from the O'Reilly Automotive Inc. (Nasdaq: ORLY) board after nearly three decades, according to past reporting.