On February 23, Bowie-based Legend Bank announced the appointment of Jay Bearden as president and CEO following the retirement of CEO Mickey Faulconer after 18 years of leadership at the bank. Faulconer will remain on the Legend Bank board of directors.

“On behalf of the board of directors, the executive management team and all the Legend Bank employees, it’s my privilege to thank Mickey Faulconer for his leadership and the impact he has made on Legend Bank over the past 18 years,” says Dr. Fred Renfro, board chairman. “Faulconer has been a steadfast and strategic leader guiding the organization through record levels of deposits, loans and net income growth. The board is sincerely grateful to Mickey for his unwavering commitment to the bank as well as the legendary legacy he leaves behind. We wish him the best as he enjoys his well-deserved retirement, and we are honored that he will remain on the board of directors to provide continued insight and expertise.

“[Bearden] brings a wealth of Legend Bank knowledge and experience from his 22 years of service at the bank,” Refro continues. “For the past two years, he has led the bank as president and for 12 years he has served as chief lending officer and executive vice president.”

Faulconer joined the Legend Bank team in 2004 and became president and CEO in 2009. For the past 18 years, he has led the bank through numerous bank acquisitions, market expansions and the global pandemic. As the CEO, he achieved record growth in assets for the organization while creating a family-like culture, which translated into the bank being named a “Best Company to Work for in Texas” by the Best Companies Group, as well as a “Best Bank to Work for in the Nation,” by American Banker, which uses employee surveys as a primary indicator in the results.

“It’s been a true privilege to serve at Legend Bank as the CEO. The impact this bank and the employees have had on me and my career are unforgettable,” Faulconer says. “I am thankful for the experiences that I have had at Legend Bank throughout the years, and I am proud of the outstanding things we have accomplished together as a team. Our employees are so important to me, and I’m honored to have worked with them to accomplish unprecedented growth for the bank. I’d like to thank the employees, board of directors, shareholders and our communities for their support through the years. I am confident that Jay Bearden will be a remarkable leader as the president and CEO.”

Bearden received his BBA degree in finance and management from Baylor University and graduated from the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University in 2008 as salutatorian of his class, with distinctions in academics and leadership. Additionally, he has served on the faculty of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking. He is an active board member for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Northwest Texas and member and deacon of First Baptist Church in Decatur.

“I have the greatest appreciation for Mickey’s outstanding leadership at our bank. He left a legendary legacy and set a remarkable example to follow,” Bearden says. “Our team at Legend Bank truly cares for each other, our customers and our communities, and that is a culture that I want to continue as I take on the role of president and CEO. It is very important to me that our employees know they are valued and that their ideas and concerns are taken seriously. It is critical that we give our bankers opportunities for personal and professional growth while providing a fun environment to accomplish our mission of serving the banking needs of our communities.”

Legend Bank also announced the addition of Matt Brown to the executive management team as the east regional president/executive vice president with leadership over the Sherman, Bonham, Cooper, Whitesboro and Whitewright locations. Brown previously served as the president of the Legend Bank Sherman branch for the past five years. He was integral in overseeing the construction of the full-service Sherman location, transitioning from the Sherman loan production office.

“Matt’s focus on helping meet the needs of customers in the fast-growing Sherman and Denison areas continues to be visible in the growth of our Sherman location,” Bearden notes. “He has consistently been a top lender at Legend Bank, helping the Sherman location exceed deposit and loan growth goals. His leadership and experience in the eastern areas will help Legend Bank continue to expand in the markets they serve.”

Brown is a board member for the Greater Texoma Utility Authority, a board seat appointed by the Sherman City Council.  He is the president-elect and board member for the Grayson Crisis Center and is an ambassador with the Sherman Chamber of Commerce. Brown is an Austin College Graduate with a BA degree in business administration and holds his MBA from the University of North Texas. He is a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking and obtained a Wharton Leadership certificate.

Established in 1890, Legend Bank NA operates 13 locations throughout North Texas with total assets of more than $954 million.