BankPlus Announces Two Hires in Growing Southeastern Region

RIDGELAND, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BankPlus announced the hiring of two senior officers in the bank’s Commercial Real Estate Group. Lee Mitchell will serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Real Estate Officer, and Tracy Rippy will serve as Senior Vice President and Regional Commercial Real Estate Officer.

Mitchell has been in the banking industry for more than 25 years. His most recent position was Executive Vice President at Trustmark Bank, where he oversaw Commercial Real Estate for the Gulf South region and served as Division Manager over Residential Construction Lending for the Houston, Texas; Jackson, Miss.; Birmingham, Ala.; and Mobile, Ala. markets. He completed the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University and earned both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in business administration from Millsaps College in Jackson. Mitchell’s professional and civic involvement includes the Alabama Center for Real Estate, Baldwin County Home Builders Association, Home Builders Association of Mississippi, Downtown Mobile Alliance, Home Builders Association of Metro Mobile, the National Association of Home Builders and the American Cancer Society.

Rippy comes to BankPlus with over 18 years of banking experience. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President in Commercial Real Estate at Trustmark Bank in Mobile. Prior to Trustmark, Rippy worked in Commercial Lending at BancorpSouth and Whitney Bank. She is a graduate of the University of South Alabama with a Bachelor of Science degree in Administrative Sciences. Rippy is an associate member of the Gulf Coast Chapter of Certified Commercial Investment Member and a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.

“I am pleased to announce the hiring of both Lee Mitchell and Tracy Rippy at such a pivotal moment as our company grows to serve more communities throughout the Southeast,” said William A. Ray, President and CEO of BankPlus.

In September 2019, the parent companies of both BankPlus and State Bank & Trust Company jointly announced the signing of a merger agreement. Pending regulatory approval, the merger should be complete this spring and will position the combined organization as a premier regional bank.

“Our footprint is expanding to Alabama and Louisiana, and with the oversight of Lee and Tracy, we’ll be able to better serve new and existing real estate customers in these areas,” Ray said. “We are committed to continued expansion in the Gulf South and Southeast regions and will continue to focus on our main priority – our customers.”

BankPlus’ acquisition of State Bank will build upon their presence throughout Mississippi as well. With ties to Mississippi and the entire region, Lee Mitchell is uniquely qualified to oversee this expansion in Commercial Real Estate. “I am very excited to join an organization that has such a strong reputation for not only developing the communities it serves but investing in them as well.” Mitchell said. “I want to take the philosophy that has served BankPlus so well throughout Mississippi and help to spread it across the Southeast.”

For additional information, locations and hours of operation, please visit www.bankplus.net.

About BankPlus

BankPlus, founded in 1909, is headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi and was chartered in Belzoni, Mississippi. BankPlus currently has 55 banking locations in Mississippi and offers full-service commercial banking, mortgage lending and wealth management services in addition to a full range of Internet banking services. As of December 31, 2019, BankPlus had $3 billion in total assets, $2.6 billion in deposits and $2.1 billion in gross loans. Pending regulatory approval, BankPlus will merge with State Bank & Trust Company in 2020. The combined organization will operate approximately 80 locations in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi and will hold over $4 billion in assets.