Southern Bancorp unveils plans to change name

Southern Bancorp, Inc., one of the nation’s oldest and most impactful Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), has announced plans to change its name to Uplift Bank, pending regulatory approval.

“Since our founding four decades ago, we have worked alongside people and places often overlooked by traditional financial institutions, helping create pathways to financial stability, opportunity, and generational wealth,” said Darrin Williams, CEO of Southern Bancorp, Inc. “That mission and impact will be the same guiding force behind our work, now with a name that better reflects our 40-year history of creating economic opportunity and lifting individuals, families, entrepreneurs, and neighborhoods in underserved communities. The name ‘Uplift’ embodies our core belief that wealth building is not just for the wealthy – we believe it’s for everyone.”

Founded in 1986, Southern Bancorp is one of America’s oldest and largest CDFIs, having served as one of the models upon which the CDFI industry was based during its creation in the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994. Southern Bancorp’s mission to serve under-resourced communities alongside its blend of traditional banking products and high-impact financial development services aims to ensure everyone in the communities it serves has access to the tools and resources needed to build a strong financial future.  

With the January 2026 acquisition of Legacy Bank & Trust, Southern Bancorp today serves customers through 66 banking locations in Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Following regulatory approval and the conversion of Legacy Bank & Trust in October, Southern Bancorp will undergo a gradual rebranding of its footprint, beginning with Legacy’s 10 offices in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas, with Southern Bancorp’s 56 offices in Arkansas and Mississippi to follow in additional waves. 

Southern Bancorp Community Partners, the nonprofit loan fund and financial development partner to Southern Bancorp, will also be renamed to Uplift Capital Partners. Like the bank, the nonprofit will continue to operate with the same mission, focus, and product offerings as it has since inception.

Customers will continue using their existing checks, debit cards, and services until the name transition, and will be notified well in advance of any changes.