Bear State Financial (NASDAQ:BSF) Files An 8-K Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
Item 5.02

Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On January 18, 2017, the Board of Directors of Bear State Financial, Inc. (the “Company”) appointed Jeri Pritchett to serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. Sherri Billings, the Company’s former Chief Accounting Officer, will continue to serve as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company.

Ms. Pritchett, age 49, has served as Senior Vice President and Controller of the Company since 2006. Ms. Pritchett joined First Federal Bank (the predecessor of Bear State Bank, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary (the “Bank”)) in December 2002 as Vice President of Accounting and Financial Reporting. Prior to joining First Federal Bank, Ms. Pritchett was a senior manager with Deloitte & Touche LLP where she started her career in 1989. Ms. Pritchett is a certified public accountant licensed to practice in the state of Arkansas, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants, and has attained the designation of Chartered Global Management Accountant. Ms. Pritchett received her B.A. in Economics and Business from Hendrix College.

Ms. Pritchett’s compensation will not immediately change as a result of her promotion, however, the Board and Compensation Committee intend to review Ms. Pritchett’s compensation package with their next periodic review of executive compensation and make adjustments commensurate with Ms. Pritchett’s increased responsibilities.

There is no family relationship between Ms. Pritchett and any other director or executive officer of the Company. No arrangement or understanding exists between Ms. Pritchett and any other person to which Ms. Pritchett was selected as an officer of the Company.

Ms. Pritchett has entered into loan and deposit transactions with the Bank. These transactions were made in the ordinary course of the Bank’s business, were made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable loans with persons not related to the Bank, and did not involve more than the normal risk of collectability or present other unfavorable features.

About Bear State Financial (NASDAQ:BSF)

Bear State Financial, Inc., formerly First Federal Bancshares of Arkansas, Inc., is a bank holding company. The Company’s subsidiary Bear State Bank, N.A. (the Bank) is a community-oriented national bank, which offers a range of retail and business deposit accounts, including noninterest bearing and interest bearing checking accounts, savings and money market accounts, certificates of deposit and individual retirement accounts. Loan products offered by the Bank include residential real estate loans, consumer loans, construction loans, lines of credit, commercial real estate loans and commercial business loans. The Bank’s other financial services include automated teller machines; around the clock telephone banking; online banking, including account access, bill payment, and e-statements; mobile banking, including remote deposit capture and funds transfer; Bounce Protection overdraft service; debit cards, and safe deposit boxes.

Bear State Financial (NASDAQ:BSF) Recent Trading Information

Bear State Financial (NASDAQ:BSF) closed its last trading session up +0.06 at 10.11 with 76,828 shares trading hands.