Pay Package for Allison Up 34 Percent in 2016

(Home BancShares)

Home BancShares Inc. Chairman Johnny Allison led the way for executive compensation at the $14.4 billion-asset banking concern during 2017.

Allison received a nearly $4.8 million compensation package, up 34 percent from 2016, according to the company’s proxy statement filed Tuesday.

Stock awards of more than 3.1 million shares and a $500,000 bonus were the biggest contributors. Allison’s annual salary grew 13 percent to $373,280.

Allison, who co-founded Home BancShares with fellow director Robert Adock Jr., is the company’s largest individual shareholder. His 3.7 percent stake is worth more than $155 million.

The publicly traded company (Nasdaq: HOMB), the parent company of Centennial Bank, reported executive compensation for:

• Tracy M. French, CEO and president of Centennial Bank, had total 2017 compensation of $747,095. The 13 percent increase included a salary of $409,027 and a bonus of $255,000.
• Kevin D. Hester, chief lending officer, had total compensation of $595,730, down from $620,447. His 2017 package included salary of $349,032, up from $325,000 in 2016, and a $225,000 bonus.
• Brian S. Davis, chief financial officer and treasurer, had a compensation package of $475,791, nearly the same as his $477,092 total in 2017. His 2017 compensation included a salary of $324,030, up from $$300,000 in 2016, and a $125,000 bonus.
• C. Randall Sims, CEO and president, has total 2017 compensation of $339,165 compared to $317,539 to 2016. Last year’s total included a salary of $294,618 and a bonus of $25,000.

Home BancShares will hold its annual meeting on April 19 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, where shareholders will be asked to vote on proposals to:

• Elect directors for a one-year term;
• Approve, on an advisory (non-binding) basis, the company’s compensation of its named executive officers;
• Approve, on an advisory (non-binding) basis, the frequency shareholders will consider and approve advisory votes on the company’s compensation of its named executive officers;
• Approve an amendment to the company’s Amended and Restated 2006 Stock Option and Performance Incentive Plan, as amended, to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance under the plan to 13,2888,000;
• Ratify the appointment of BKD LLP of Springfield, Missouri, as the company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the next fiscal year.