Each company in the Merchants & Marine Bancorp, Inc. family of brands serves a distinct purpose, but with a shared mission: building stronger communities and brighter futures. Merchants & Marine Bank centers its personal and business banking services in a commitment to community that reaches back to 1899. Since 1980, Mississippi River Bank has been offering personal service and expertise as the bank big enough to handle all your financial needs, but small enough to remember your name. Full-service mortgage company Canvas Mortgage brings the community bank model of personalized service to homebuyers throughout the United States. Voyager Lending helps small businesses navigate government-guaranteed loans and lines of credit. In addition to these products, CannaFirst Financial offers compliant and legal banking services to companies in Mississippi’s and Alabama’s medical cannabis industries. Clients and tactics differ, but our brands’ collective bearing remains set on a commitment to service, wherever it’s needed.
| Holding Company Leadership | Board Of Directors |
Clayton Legear is President & Chief Executive Officer of Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) and the bank’s holding company, Merchants & Marine Bancorp, Inc. He has served the clients, team members, and stakeholders of MMB in a variety of roles since 2011, including: Compliance Manager, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and President. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2022.
Clayton Legear is President & Chief Executive Officer of Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) and the bank’s holding company, Merchants & Marine Bancorp, Inc. He has served the clients, team members, and stakeholders of MMB in a variety of roles since 2011, including: Compliance Manager, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and President.
Clayton joined MMB after a four-year stint as a financial institution examiner and deposit insurance claims specialist at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). His experience at MMB reflects his balanced approach to leading a growing community bank serving customers in multiple cities, small towns, and rural areas.
An emerging thought leader in the financial services industry, Clayton is passionate about community banking and community development. He enjoys leveraging his diverse experience and unique perspective to support continual improvement within Merchants & Marine Bank, to serve the communities MMB calls home, and to advocate for the community banking industry.
A native of Webb, Alabama, Clayton holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Troy University. He is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University. Clayton is actively involved in numerous civic, charitable, and professional organizations throughout the Gulf Coast region.
Antonio J. Davis currently serves as the Chief Risk Officer of Merchants & Marine Bank and its holding company, Merchants & Marine Bancorp, Inc., joining the organization’s senior leadership team in 2023.
Antonio J. Davis presently assumes the role of Chief Risk Officer for Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) and the bank’s holding company, Merchants & Marine Bancorp, Inc., joining the organization’s executive leadership team July 2023 and managing Compliance, Internal Audit, and Bank Secrecy Act.
Prior to joining MMB, Antonio served as a Supervisory Examiner (Compliance) in the Jackson, Mississippi Field Office for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) beginning in 2019. In this position, Antonio managed and developed a team of examiners while also assisting with managing a portfolio of more than 130 FDIC-supervised banks with assets in excess of $200 billion and spanning the states of Mississippi and Tennessee. Antonio’s career at the FDIC began in 2010 as a Financial Institution Specialist/Examiner in the Montgomery, Alabama Field Office, where he contributed to several impactful projects and received multiple awards.
Antonio, a native of Fairfield, Alabama, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama, as well as a Master of Business Administration degree from Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida. He is also an alumnus of the Graduate School of Banking at University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he also earned an Executive Leadership Certificate. Additionally, Antonio holds the highly respected Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager designation and actively engages with civic and charitable organizations, including serving as a board member for The DL Handy Foundation, Inc.
Casey Hill currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Merchants & Marine Bank and its holding company, Merchants & Marine Bancorp, Inc., joining the organization’s senior leadership team in early 2020.
Casey Hill currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) and its holding company, Merchants & Marine Bancorp, Inc., joining the organization’s senior leadership team in early 2020.
Prior to joining the bank, Mr. Hill served as the Managing Director of the Agribusiness Lending Group, a national lending arm of Farm Credit Bank of Texas, one of the four wholesale funding banks of the Farm Credit system. At Farm Credit, Casey was responsible for a team of bankers and analysts that managed a multibillion-dollar commercial portfolio, comprised of some of the largest production agriculture credit facilities in North America. Prior to his stint at Farm Credit, he served as Chief Credit Officer at Eugene, Oregon-based Summit Bank, a financial services organization consistently cited as one of the highest-performing banks in the country.
While he has held senior and executive management roles in diverse markets across the country, Casey has his roots in Mississippi and Alabama commercial banks. He enjoyed a tenure at Brandon-based multibank holding company Community Bancshares, where he served as a corporate Senior Vice President and director of Credit Quality and Credit Risk. Casey began his career in banking working in credit administration at the Citizens Bank of Philadelphia (Mississippi) and Auburn, Alabama-based AuburnBank.
Mr. Hill completed his undergraduate studies in Banking & Finance at Mississippi State University, thereafter matriculating to the Owen School of Management at Vanderbilt University, earning his MBA with highest honors.
Casey is active in the Gulf Coast community, serving as Chairman-Elect of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, as a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors at United Way of Jackson and George Counties, and as an alumnus of Leadership Jackson County. Along with his wife and two young children, he is a parishioner of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church and a member of Ocean Springs Yacht Club.
Greg Hodges currently serves Merchants & Marine Bank as Chief Banking Officer, based in Hattiesburg. We welcomed Greg to our senior leadership team in 2020.
Greg Hodges currently serves Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) as Chief Banking Officer, based in Hattiesburg. We welcomed Greg to our senior leadership team in 2020.
Prior to joining MMB, Greg spent 19 years working for Hancock Whitney Bank and legacy institutions, serving in multiple community banking positions in Louisiana and Mississippi. During his nine years serving in Louisiana, Greg started the Louisiana leasing division, worked as a branch manager, was a top business banker producer, business banking manager, and managed the Louisiana corporate banking department. He then transferred with Hancock Whitney to his hometown of Hattiesburg to take the role of Market President for a ten-year stint.
Greg earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from William Carey University. He is also a graduate of the Mississippi School of Banking at the University of Mississippi and the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.
Greg is a dedicated community servant to the people of Hattiesburg and southeast Mississippi. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Area Development Partnership Board. At the United Way of Southeast Mississippi, Greg has served as Board President, Director, Community Impact Chair, and Community Resource Development Chair. He also enjoyed working with the Family YMCA of Southeast Mississippi as a board member and co-chair of multiple Area Development Partnership’s capital campaigns. Greg has led the Southeast Mississippi Community Investment Corporation as Board Chair and Treasurer and has served as a councilman for The Mississippi Young Bankers Association. Greg and his wife, Jill, attend Temple Baptist Church, where he serves as a Deacon and has also volunteered on the church’s finance committee.
Jeffery Trammel serves as Chief Risk & Strategy Officer of Merchants & Marine Bank and its holding company, Merchants & Marine Bancorp, Inc, joining the organization’s executive leadership team in 2019.
Jeffery Trammel serves as Chief Operations Officer of Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) and its holding company, Merchants & Marine Bancorp, Inc, joining the organization’s executive leadership team in 2019 as its Chief Risk & Strategy Officer. Jeff is a capable, driven, and energetic leader, guiding our risk function (credit, compliance, Bank Secrecy Act, internal audit), data analytics department, and loan operations.
Prior to joining the bank, Jeff worked as a Supervisory Examiner at the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance. He worked in a similar role for the State of Louisiana, as Compliance Examiner and Assistant District Office Manager for the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions. Along with leading teams of examiners on community bank examinations, Jeff also was appointed as lead examiner on each state’s largest financial institution. He was recognized for his leadership with an inter-agency STAR award from the Conference of State Bank Supervisors as a bank examiner in Louisiana.
Jeff also served as Compliance Officer at Business First Bank in Baton Rouge. Earlier in his career, he held several roles (Registered Representative, Registered Investment Advisor, Corporate Trainer, and Compliance Officer) for New York Life, MassMutual, Emeritus Financial, and ING Financial Partners. He began his career in banking and finance, working in roles in Corporate Trust and Credit Analysis at Bank One, a legacy institution of the current JP Morgan Chase Bank.
Jeff earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Louisiana State University, as well as a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of New Orleans. He also graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. He is a Certified Enterprise Risk Professional, as designated by the American Bankers Association. Jeff and his wife, Anna, are members of Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church and Singing River Yacht Club. He is active in several local organizations.
Kristi Maxwell serves Merchants & Marine Bank as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. She has excelled in many roles for the bank since joining the team in 2007.
Kristi Maxwell serves Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. She has excelled in many roles for the bank since joining the team in 2007.
Kristi ran two branches in the Gulf Coast region during her first two years at MMB, before ascending to the bank’s senior leadership team. Since 2009, she has held the roles of Vice President, Retail Banking; Vice President, Senior Administrative Officer; Senior Vice President, Senior Administrative Officer; Executive Vice President, Chief Retail Banking Officer; and her current position. In these roles, Kristi has led high-performing teams within the bank’s retail banking function, branch locations, account services, call center, card services, cash management services, and its business analysts.
Prior to joining MMB, Kristi spent 14 years at Hancock Whitney Bank’s predecessor institution, Hancock Bank. During her tenure at Hancock Bank, Kristi held various customer-facing roles in the bank’s branches across Gulf Coast locations such as Biloxi and Escatawapa. These roles included teller, customer service representative, loan processor, loan officer, and branch manager.
Kristi earned an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration and Management from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. She is also a graduate of the Mississippi School of Banking at the University of Mississippi and the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.
Thomas Van Antwerp is a retired executive with a long, successful career leading publishing, staffing, and philanthropic organizations.
Thomas Van Antwerp is a retired executive with a long, successful career leading publishing, staffing, and philanthropic organizations. He served as executive director of Providence Hospital Foundation from June 2004 until his retirement in February 2015. His diverse background provides the Board with valuable leadership and business experience. Mr. Van Antwerp is currently chairman of the Governance, Succession and Compensation Committee of the Bank.
Mr. Van Antwerp served as a director of EnergySouth, a publicly traded gas distribution company, from 1993 until its sale in 2008. During his tenure on that board, he served on the executive, corporate governance and audit committees and he was chairman of the compensation and planning committee. He is currently the sole trustee of The Hearin-Chandler Foundation and responsible for all of the foundation’s investment and grant distributions.
Jerry St Pé is former President of Ingalls Shipbuilding and retired Executive Vice-President of the shipyard’s parent company, Litton Industries.
Jerry St Pé is former President of Ingalls Shipbuilding and retired Executive Vice-President of the shipyard’s parent company, Litton Industries.
A native of New Orleans, Jerry St Pé came to Mississippi in 1958 as a newspaper reporter for the then Pascagoula Chronicle Star (now the Mississippi Press). In 1961, he joined the public relations staff of the Ingalls Shipbuilding division of Litton Industries and in 1967 played a major role in the Ingalls/State of Mississippi partnership that resulted in the construction in Jackson County of the first totally new shipyard built in America since World War II.
He was named Vice-President of Public and Industrial Relations in 1975, and in 1985, he became President of Ingalls and was elected a Corporate Vice-President of Litton Industries. In 1998, he was named Corporate Executive Vice-President of Litton Industries with overall responsibility for Litton’s shipbuilding operations. He retired in October 2001 following the completion of the transition of Northrop Grumman’s purchase of Litton Industries.
In 1996, Jerry was name a Laureate in the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame for his contributions to Mississippi economy, and in 1998 the Navy League of the United States awarded him the Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Award, the League’s highest honor, for his service to America’s naval shipbuilding.
Jerry is a past President of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and continues to serve on the Chamber board. He is one of the founders of the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, having served three terms as Chairman of the Foundation. Jerry is also a retired member of the Board of Directors of the Southern Company, and served eight years as Chairman of the Mississippi Gaming Commission. He currently serves as a senior advisory member of the Board of Merchants & Marine Bank. Following his retirement, he formed St Pé and Associates, LLC through which he engages in private business interest and volunteer work.
Jerry resides in Jackson County with his wife Joann, a native Mississippian. They have two children, Prudence Graham and Laurin St Pé, and five grandchildren.
Royce Cumbest is the former President and CEO of Merchants & Marine Bank, leading the organization through a period marked by tremendous growth and innovation from 1985 until his retirement in 2019.
Royce Cumbest is the former President and CEO of Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB), leading the organization through a period marked by tremendous growth and innovation from 1985 until 2019. As he plans his transition into retirement, he continues to serve the company as the Chairman of the Board, a position he has held since 1991. Mr. Cumbest’s extensive banking experience and his management of the day-to-day operations of the bank provide the Board with knowledge and insight into the company’s operations. Additionally, his long-term service with the company provides the board with invaluable institutional knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of the Company’s mission.
Mr. Cumbest also currently serves as Chairman and Director of the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, and as a Director at Mississippi Power Company where he currently chairs the Compliance and Controls Committee.
Mr. Buster owns and manages C-Sharpe Co., a general contractor specializing in complex building restoration. Mr. Buster has been a Director of the Company since April 2018.
Mr. Buster owns and manages C-Sharpe Co., which is a general contractor specializing in complex building restoration. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Building Science from Auburn University. He resides in Fairhope, Alabama, with his wife and five children. He currently serves on the board at Bayside Academy. Mr. Buster’s associations in the Baldwin County area provide valuable insight into the retail and industrial sectors of the community. Being a business owner gives Mr. Buster a clear view of all aspects of strategic planning, operations, and administration. He has served as a Director of the Company since April 2018.
Frank Hammond is a member of the law firm of Watkins & Eager, PLLC. Mr. Hammond has practiced in Pascagoula and Jackson, Mississippi for over fifty years. He has represented a broad array of corporations and individuals, emphasizing banking, business, and estate planning.
Mr. Hammond is a member of Watkins & Eager, PLLC in Jackson, Mississippi. He has degrees in accounting and law and a Master of Laws in Taxation. Mr. Hammond has practiced law for almost fifty years in Pascagoula and Jackson, Mississippi. He has represented a broad array of corporations and individuals, emphasizing banking, business, and estate planning. He is able to contribute to the Board through the breadth and depth of his experience in a broad range of business, corporations, real estate, legal and regulatory matters. Mr. Hammond has been a Director of the Company since 1997.
Abe Harper is the founder and President of Harper Technologies, LLC, an information technology consulting and service firm in Daphne, Alabama. Mr. Harper provides the Board with valuable entrepreneurial experience, technology expertise and insight.
Mr. Harper is the President of Harper Technologies, LLC, and is skilled in many different areas of the Information Technology industry, including Data Analytics, Cyber Security/ Forensics, IT Consulting, and Infrastructure Construction. Mr. Harper graduated from the Alabama School of Math and Science and later attended both Florida A&M University and the University of South Alabama before venturing out as an entrepreneur and launching Harper Technologies.
His community involvement includes serving as a Board Member for Innovate Alabama (Formerly The Alabama Innovation Corporation) as an appointee of Governor Kay Ivey. He is also active with City Hope Church as an Elder, Chairman of Prichard Preparatory School, Board Member for The Innovation Portal, as well as a Board Member for the Mobile Airport Authority.
Mr. Harper served as an Advisory Member of the Board from 2018 until becoming a Director of the Company in April 2021. He currently serves as Chairman of the Information Technology Committee. Mr. Harper provides the Board with valuable entrepreneurial experience, technology expertise and insight.
Dr. Hal Moore, who is retired from Singing River Radiology Group where he served as president for many years, brings a unique perspective to the Board concerning responsibility for a small business and insight into the local medical community.
Dr. Hal Moore, who is retired from Singing River Radiology Group where he served as president for many years, brings a unique perspective to the Board concerning responsibility for a small business and insight into the local medical community.
Dr. Moore is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He is a Fellow of the American College of Radiology and was active in the Singing River Hospital System Medical Staff (past chief of staff), Singing River Medical Society (past president), and the Mississippi State Medical Association (past trustee), providing knowledge of the healthcare industry locally and beyond. Dr. Moore also served on the Board of Trustees of Belhaven University.
He is active in the First Presbyterian Church of Pascagoula (elder, deacon, trustee), and he is the past president of the Ole Miss Alumni Association and remains on its Board. Dr. Moore also currently serves on the Pascagoula Redevelopment Authority (past chairman). He has been a Director of the Company since 2001.
Ms. Payne has over twenty years of experience as the executive director of the Jackson County Civic Action Committee, earning awards for her leadership and volunteer work. Payne was an Advisory Member from July 31, 2007, until becoming a Director in April 2009.
Ms. Payne served as the executive director of the Jackson County Civic Action Committee for over twenty years, receiving awards for her leadership abilities and volunteer activities. With a Bachelor of Science in accounting and a Master of Business Administration in finance, her experience in the banking industry as a bank examiner for the FDIC and later an analyst for a financial institution provides the Board with valuable insight. She began her career in nonprofit work as a finance director in 1984 and served as a fiscal officer for thirteen years. Ms. Payne served as an Advisory Member of the Board from July 31, 2007, until becoming a Director of the Company in April 2009. She currently serves as Chairperson of the Governance Succession and Compensation Committee.
Alan Sudduth currently holds the office of Corporate Affairs Manager for Chevron in Mississippi.
Alan Sudduth currently holds the office of Corporate Affairs Manager for Chevron in Mississippi. He manages a full range of public and government affairs activities, including media relations, community engagement, political advocacy, crisis communication, external and internal communications, and business development. Mr. Sudduth served as an Advisory Member of the Board from August 6, 2013, until becoming a Director of the Company in April 2016.
Mr. Sudduth earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Mississippi State University, a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law, and a Master of Business Administration from William Carey University.
Mr. Torjusen is co-owner of Fletcher Construction Co., Inc., bringing over 30 years of construction experience and valuable business insight. He holds a degree in Construction Engineering Technology from the University of Southern Mississippi and lives in Pascagoula with his family. He served as an Advisory Board Member from July 2013 to April 2016, when he became a Company Director.
Mr. Torjusen is co-owner of Fletcher Construction Co., Inc., which provides him with an exceptional small business perspective. He has over 30 years of construction experience and provides the Company with solid occupational business insight. He received a degree in Construction Engineering Technology from the University of Southern Mississippi. He resides in Pascagoula with his wife and children. Mr. Torjusen served as an Advisory Member of the Board from July 16, 2013, until becoming a Director of the Company in April 2016.
Dr. Jay Willis is a consultant and business broker, owner of Willis & Associates, a dental practice transition consulting and brokerage firm that matches sellers and buyers of dental practices in Mississippi and Alabama. Dr. Willis has been a Director of the Company since 2007.
Dr. Jay Willis is currently the Mayor of the City of Pascagoula. He practiced dentistry in the community for 35 years before retiring to form Willis & Associates, a dental practice transition consulting and brokerage firm that matches sellers and buyers of dental practices across Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. Dr. Willis is a frequent guest lecturer in the area of practice management at the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry.
A lifelong resident of our community, Dr. Willis offers valuable business experience from his many years as a small businessman and owner of a successful dental practice and his service as an involved civic leader in various capacities. He served as a member and president of the local school board of the Pascagoula Municipal Separate School District, guiding the district’s operations, which included a successful bond issue campaign and the construction of two new high schools for our community.
His leadership experience includes participation as a member of the boards of directors of the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, the local Chamber of Commerce, the United Way, the Regional YMCA, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, and First Presbyterian Church, and also serving as President of the Coast Dental Society and the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry Alumni Association. Dr. Willis has been a Director of the Company since 2007.
Mr. Van Antwerp was born in Mobile, Alabama, and also lived in Pascagoula, Mississippi, for three years. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 2000 and began his career in banking in 2003. He was an Advisory Director of Merchants & Marine Bank since April 2018 before being elected to the Board of Directors in 2024.
Mr. Van Antwerp was born in Mobile, Alabama. He and his family also lived in Pascagoula, Mississippi, for three years. After graduating from the University of Virginia in 2000, Mr. Van Antwerp pursued a career on Wall Street, accepting a position with Deutsche Bank in New York, New York as an Associate in global, institutional equity sales and trading before being promoted to Vice President in 2003.
In June 2004, Mr. Van Antwerp accepted a job with Alliance Bernstein, also in New York. At Alliance Bernstein, he continued to work in equity sales and trading before ultimately assuming relationship management responsibilities for a diverse group of institutional clients, including traditional money managers, quantitative investment managers, hedge funds, and state pension funds. He was named a Director at Alliance Bernstein in 2011.
In 2013, Mr. Van Antwerp returned to Mobile and joined Mitchell McLeod Pugh & Williams (“MMPW”) as an Investment Advisor. He is now a shareholder and Managing Director of the firm. MMPW currently manages over $2.3 billion in assets for clients across the country.
Mr. Van Antwerp serves on the Board of Trustees at St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Mobile and is President of the Mobile Carnival Association. Additionally, Mr. Van Antwerp serves as the Junior Warden for Finance at Christ Church Cathedral in Mobile.
He and his wife have three sons and one daughter. Mr. Van Antwerp brings valuable insight into the business community in Mobile and relationships with clients of the Bank. Prior to his election to the Board of Directors in 2024, he was an Advisory Director of the Company since April 2018.
Clayton Legear is President & Chief Executive Officer of Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) and the bank’s holding company, Merchants & Marine Bancorp, Inc. He has served the clients, team members, and stakeholders of MMB in a variety of roles since 2011, including: Compliance Manager, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and President. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2022.
Clayton Legear is President & Chief Executive Officer of Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) and the bank’s holding company, Merchants & Marine Bancorp, Inc. He has served the clients, team members, and stakeholders of MMB in a variety of roles since 2011, including: Compliance Manager, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and President.
Clayton joined MMB after a four-year stint as a financial institution examiner and deposit insurance claims specialist at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). His experience at MMB reflects his balanced approach to leading a growing community bank serving customers in multiple cities, small towns, and rural areas.
An emerging thought leader in the financial services industry, Clayton is passionate about community banking and community development. He enjoys leveraging his diverse experience and unique perspective to support continual improvement within Merchants & Marine Bank, to serve the communities MMB calls home, and to advocate for the community banking industry.
A native of Webb, Alabama, Clayton holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Troy University. He is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University. Clayton is actively involved in numerous civic, charitable, and professional organizations throughout the Gulf Coast region.
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