Regions Bank welcomes back Spicher as HS market executive
Regions Bank has announced that longtime Hot Springs banking leader Forrest Spicher, who rejoined the company as a commercial banking relationship manager earlier this year, will expand his role to serve as market executive for Hot Springs and the surrounding communities in Garland County, a news release said.
“A nearly 40-year veteran of the Hot Springs banking market, Spicher originally led commercial lending at Regions in the market from 2004-2010. In 2010, he received Regions’ most prestigious honor, the Better Life Award, recognizing associates who go above and beyond in serving their customers and the community and exemplify the bank’s mission and values,” the release said.
“Spicher has since gained 13 years of additional community banking leadership experience in Hot Springs. In returning to Regions, Spicher’s lifetime commitment to the growth of the Hot Springs community positions him to provide longterm clients as well as new ones with the customized financial insights to help them achieve growth and financial success,” it said.
“Forrest’s devotion to his hometown of Hot Springs, along with his lifetime banking experience and vision, will meaningfully benefit our customers, our associates and the entire community,” John Turner, president and CEO of Regions Financial Corp., said in the release. “The trust people have in Forrest, combined with his commitment to exceptional service, will help Regions further strengthen our focus on the Hot Springs market. We couldn’t be happier to welcome him back.”
In the market executive role, Spicher will lead Regions360 initiatives bringing bankers from Regions’ Commercial Banking, Consumer Banking, Mortgage Banking and Wealth Management teams to work collaboratively on delivering the full range of Regions’ capabilities to clients.
“Regions360 is like a tool belt full of financial solutions,” Rodney Abston, Commercial Banking leader and market executive for the bank in central Arkansas, said in the release. “If a client needs anything ranging from global trade or foreign exchange to working capital for a trucking fleet to a personal mortgage or advice and guidance with retirement planning, we have experienced team members to assist with each of those specialty areas. Forrest’s role involves bringing our experienced team to the table to identify all of our clients’ needs and deliver the best solutions to address them. Given his client relationships, that’s a huge advantage we have with Forrest being back with us now.”
“A leader of many community, civic and economic development groups throughout his career,” including being an original Hot Springs Habitat for Humanity board member, Spicher will also work with Regions colleagues and nonprofit partners to further enhance the bank’s community engagement relationships in the area, the release said.
“My passion is education. I believe more learning leads to more earning,” Spicher said in the release. “It’s about making sure all students have access to the opportunity to learn — and ultimately earn — in Hot Springs. If we can help a young person develop their abilities and a good paying job, we’re elevating our entire Hot Springs community by empowering people to buy their first home and start a family of their own. It is a classic case of a rising tide lifts all boats.”
A Hot Springs native, Spicher graduated from Lake Hamilton High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Arkansas. He serves as a board member of National Park College, The Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, Hot Springs Metro Partnership, Roy L. Murphy Razorback Club, Fifty for the Future, and Hot Springs Baptist Church. Spicher was named the Rotarian of the Year in 2006 for the Hot Springs National Park Rotary Club. Spicher received the Silver Beaver award for volunteerism from the Boy Scouts of America Ouachita Area Council in 2007. He was named Man of the Year for Community Service in 2008 by The Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce and received the 2016 Economic Development Leadership award from the Hot Springs Metro Partnership.
“During this second ‘tour of opportunity’ with Regions, I’m looking forward to helping create more opportunities, more growth, more expansion of existing relationships and bringing in new ones,” Spicher said. “It’s such an honor to help Regions deliver our comprehensive solutions while building on our more than 100-year history of community involvement here in Hot Springs.”