Ross Whipple

Ross Whipple has been exposed to a variety of businesses through his position with the Ross Foundation of Arkadelphia.

As chairman of the private family foundation, he helps oversee 54,000 acres of south Arkansas timberland that support a number of charities in Clark County.

But banking came to the forefront 13 years ago when Whipple moved from a director to president of the Merchants & Planters Bank in Arkadelphia.

That interim post became permanent, and he grew the family banking interests into a $550 million-asset holding company.

Whipple sold Horizon Bancorp. in 1998 to St. Louis-based Mercantile Bancorp. in a stock swap valued at $120 million (nearly three times book value).

“I’ve always had a great interest in finance, even as a kid,” said Whipple, who grew up in Malvern.

Too young to retire, he rebuilt a banking network under the Summit Bancorp. banner. Total assets recently topped $500 million for Summit, which employs 181 staffers at three locations in Hot Springs; two each in Arkadelphia and Malvern; and one each in Magnolia, Hope and Benton.

Whipple admits that building a thriving bank operation is tougher the second time around.

“You don’t have to be a genius,” he said in describing his recipe for success. “But you need to possess both a passion for the job and a compassion for people.”

A sampling of past and current civic and charitable work includes the Henderson State University board of trustees, Baptist Health Foundation, Audubon of Arkansas, Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, Ouachita River Water District, Clark County Nursing Home Board, Ione Bynum Child Care Center and Group Living Inc.

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