Arkansas Business

“It was obvious we had to get a new leader to work effectively and attack the assignments given to us by the OCC.”

Pavlas was recommended as a candidate for CEO by One Bank’s regulatory lawyers in Washington, D.C.

The interview and vetting process went well, and the veteran banker was hired through a streamlined confirmation process on Oct. 25 after the OCC had no objection to his nomination.

Before accepting the offer, Pavlas visited with the bank staff at the downtown Little Rock headquarters and its branch network.

“I had to make sure that the foundation was here, the people,” he said. “I saw the pride and the self-sufficiency here. I made up my mind to do this.”

The board of directors didn’t want Pavlas to accept the job unless he could commit to the job beyond an interim basis.

“I like to fix things and build,” Pavlas said. “I’m here for the long term. The biggest thing I’m telling employees is they’re taking their bank back.

“I’m not a micromanager. When I got here, everything was coming to me, and that tells me how it was before I got here.

“The bank’s going to have to do what’s right for the bank. I know what it takes to get the bank to where it needs to be, to get it growing again.”

One Bank & Trust, Little Rock
Total Assets: $454.4 million
Capital: $26.7 million
Net Income: -$117,000      Staff: 86
Full-Service Locations: Nine in Little Rock and one in North Little Rock.
As of Sept. 30, 2012

Source: Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. All dollars in thousands except as noted.