Bank of the Ozarks Named Top Performer by Banking Journal

Bank of the Ozarks was named the top performing bank among mid-sized publicly held lenders in the May 12 issue of ABA Banking Journal.

The Little Rock bank ranked No. 1 for its 2011 performance among 253 public banks, thrifts and holding companies with total assets of between $1 billion and $10 billion.

"This honor is attributed to our 1,100 employees who conduct business with the highest level of integrity and the desire to not just be good or great, but excellent in everything they do," said George Gleason, chairman of the board and CEO.

Bank of the Ozarks also was ranked No. 1 among its peers by the publication in 2010 and last month was recognized as the top performing regional bank in the nation by SNL Financial LC of Charlottesville, Va.

The $3.8 billion-asset lender has reported record annual earnings for 11 consecutive years and 14 out of 15 years since going public in 1997.

The company operates in 113 offices in Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Alabama.