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Leadership

Merchants & Marine Bank Leadership
Leadership Board Of Directors

Royce Cumbest

Chairman of the Board

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

Chairman of the Board

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.

Clayton Legear

President & Chief Executive Officer, Board Member

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

President & Chief Executive Officer, Board Member

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 Bank 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.

Jeff Trammell

Chief Operations Officer

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.

Jeff Trammell

Chief Operations Officer

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.

Casey Hill

Chief Financial Officer

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

Chief Financial Officer

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.

Kristi Maxwell

Chief Administrative Officer

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

Chief Administrative Officer

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.

Greg Hodges

Chief Banking Officer

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

Chief Banking Officer

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.

Antonio J. Davis

Chief Risk Officer

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

Chief Risk Officer

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.

Grant Walker

Pine Belt Market President

Grant Walker serves Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) as the Pine Belt Market President. We welcomed Grant to our senior leadership team in 2022.

Grant Walker

Pine Belt Market President

Grant Walker serves Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) as the Pine Belt Market President.

With over 35 years of service in the Magnolia State’s banking industry, Walker came to Merchants & Marine Bank in 2022 after a 14-year tenure as market president for a regional bank, leading his team of more than 70 employees to earn regional recognition for best-in-class customer service.

Walker holds a bachelor’s degree in Comprehensive Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He has graduate degree programs in bank management, advanced commercial lending, and real estate lending from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University and the Southeastern School of Advanced Commercial Lending at Vanderbilt University.

Walker has a career-long commitment to community service and has held leadership positions in the Area Development Partnership of Greater Hattiesburg, the Hattiesburg Kiwanis Club, the Pine Belt Boys and Girls Club, the Hattiesburg Downtown Association, and the Pine Belt Family YMCA.

Jimmy Conyers

Market President, Alabama

Jimmy Conyers serves Merchants & Marine Bank as Executive Vice President, Alabama Market President. Jimmy’s tenure with MMB began via our 2011 acquisition of Heritage First Bank, where he served for five years as a commercial loan officer.

Jimmy Conyers

Market President, Alabama

Jimmy Conyers serves Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) as Executive Vice President, Alabama Market President.

Jimmy’s tenure with MMB began via our 2011 acquisition of Heritage First Bank, where he served for five years as a commercial loan officer. While his initial venture into banking was with SunTrust Bank in Atlanta, he found his niche in community banking upon relocating to Alabama with First National Bank of Baldwin County.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Jimmy earned a Bachelor of Science of Business Administration with a focus in Management from Auburn University. He is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.

Jimmy is actively involved in many civic, charitable, and social organizations where he enjoys serving the people of the Gulf Coast. He is an alumnus of Leadership Baldwin County, the Alabama Leadership Initiative, and Coastal Alabama Civic Master’s Program through Coastal Alabama Partnership. He is a member and a Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Gulf Shores, and is also a member of the Kiwanis Club Eastern Shore, Athelstan Club, and Lakewood Golf Club. He is a former President and Board Member of Family Promise of Baldwin County and an active member of St. James Episcopal Church in Fairhope. He is also active in the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce, and the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Alabama Bankers Association. Additionally, Jimmy is currently serving the citizens of Fairhope in his second term as a Member of the City Council.

Jimmy and his wife, Ashley, are residents of Fairhope, Alabama, along with their two daughters, Anna Bowler and Margaret.

Mack Rushing

Market President, Mississippi Gulf Coast

Mack Rushing currently serves Merchants & Marine Bank as our Market President for the Mississippi Gulf Coast region. Mack is a bona fide, true-blue member of our team, joining the bank in 1988.

Mack Rushing

Market President, Mississippi Gulf Coast

Mack Rushing currently serves Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) as our Market President for the Mississippi Gulf Coast region. Mack is a long-standing, true-blue member of our team, joining the bank in 1988.

Mack has spent his entire banking career at MMB, with success contributing to and leading multiple functions and departments of the organization. He began his career working in collections and later moved into branch banking as a teller, loan officer, and branch manager. He also enjoyed a stint overseeing loan operations bank-wide.

Mack earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. He is also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University and the Mississippi School of Banking at the University of Mississippi.

Along with more than 30 years of service to our bank, Mack has worked tirelessly as a community servant for the people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Region. He is Past President of the Ocean Springs Rotary Club, and he has served as a director for multiple high-impact civic and philanthropic organizations, including the Mississippi Gulf Coast YMCA, the Ocean Springs YMCA, and the United Way of South Mississippi.

David Thomas

Director, Retail Banking

David Thomas serves Merchants & Marine Bank as Vice President, Director of Retail Banking. He joined the bank’s senior leadership team in 2018.

David Thomas

Director, Retail Banking

David Thomas serves Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) as Vice President, Director of Retail Banking. He joined the bank’s senior leadership team in 2018.

David has spent four decades in the banking and financial services industry. Prior to joining MMB, David spent a year as Regional Manager for Woodforest Bank, as well as a year in the role of Senior Market Manager for LifeWay Christian Resources. For over sixteen years, David served as Senior Vice President, Retail Division Manager at Hancock Whitney Bank in Pascagoula. Earlier in his career, David held roles as Vice President, Retail Area Manager at Magnolia Federal Bank and District Manager at Landmark Finance.

David earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Christian Leadership and Management at Liberty University. He has also completed programs at the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University and the Advanced Consumer Management School at Marquette University.

David is a tireless community servant for the people of the Gulf Coast. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Gateway Christian Academy and on the finance committee of the Jackson County Baptist Association. His previous service includes stints on the boards of directors of the Pascagoula Main Street Association, the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Jackson and George Counties, and the Boys and Girls Club of Jackson County. He is the former President of the Pascagoula Area Council. He is also a former member of the Kiwanis Club of Pascagoula and the Rotary Club of Pascagoula.

David enjoys coaching softball, baseball, and basketball, in addition to his duties as a bi-vocational pastor, a calling he has pursued for the last 35 years.

Sheryl Wolfe

Director, Human Resources

Sheryl Melton Wolfe serves Merchants & Marine Bank as Vice President, Human Resources Director. She joined the organization’s senior leadership team in 2017.

Sheryl Wolfe

Director, Human Resources

Sheryl Melton Wolfe serves Merchants & Marine Bank (MMB) as Vice President, Human Resources Director. She joined the organization’s senior leadership team in 2017.

Prior to joining MMB, Sheryl served nearly four years as Vice President, Employee Relations Manager for 1st Convenience/1stNational Bank Texas with locations in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. This term followed eleven years working in human resources for Hancock Whitney Bank in Mississippi. While there, Sheryl worked as Senior Employee Relations Liaison, Employment Recruiter, and Leave Coordinator. Before embarking on her two-decade career in banking, she began her career in human resources in 1995 as a civilian executive for the 92nd Service Squadron based at Spokane Air Force Base.

Sheryl earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resource Management from Park University. She is a Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Certified Professional. She has also earned the Professional in Human Resources designation from the HR Certification Institute. Sheryl has also successfully completed the Strategic HR Leadership Program.

Sheryl currently serves the Gulf Coast community on the Board of Directors of the Salvation Army of Jackson County. She is an active member of the Gulf Coast Human Resources Association.

Thomas B. Van Antwerp

Board Member, Lead Independent Director

Thomas Van Antwerp is a retired executive with a long, successful career leading publishing, staffing, and philanthropic organizations.

Thomas B. Van Antwerp

Board Member, Lead Independent Director

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

Senior Advisory Director

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

Senior Advisory Director

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

Chairman of the Board

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

Chairman of the Board

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.

William Russell Buster, IV

Board Member

William Buster owns and manages C-Sharpe Company, a construction firm that offers general contracting and restoration services.

William Russell Buster, IV

Board Member

William Buster owns and manages C-Sharpe Company, a construction firm that offers general contracting and restoration services. The company operates from two locations, in Orange Beach, Alabama and Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. As a business owner, Mr. Buster offers his brand of executive leadership to the board, with clear perspectives on all aspects of strategic planning, operations, and administration. He has served as a Director of the Board since April 2018, and he also provides key insights into the retail and industrial sectors within the bank’s footprint.

Mr. Buster earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Building Science from Auburn University.

In addition to his board service at the bank, Mr. Buster currently serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Thomas Hospital Foundation’s, and he is also on the Board of Directors of Bayside Academy, a private, K-12 school in Daphne, Alabama.

Frank J. Hammond, III

Board Member

Frank Hammond is a member of the law firm of Watkins & Eager, PLLC. Mr. Hammond has practiced for over forty years in Pascagoula and Jackson, Mississippi and has represented a broad array of corporations and individuals with an emphasis on banking, business, and estate planning.

Frank J. Hammond, III

Board Member

Frank Hammond is a member of the law firm of Watkins & Eager, PLLC. Mr. Hammond has practiced for over forty years in Pascagoula and Jackson, Mississippi and has represented a broad array of corporations and individuals with an emphasis on banking, business, and estate planning. He contributes insights to the board through his extensive experience in legal matters pertaining to a wide range of business, corporations, real estate, legal and regulatory matters.

Mr. Hammond earned a Bachelor of Accountancy degree from the University of Mississippi, A Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida College of Law, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law.

He has served his profession in various volunteer roles with the Mississippi Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Abe L. Harper, Jr.

Board Member

Abe Harper is the founder and President of Harper Technologies, LLC, an information technology consulting and service firm in Daphne, Alabama.

Abe L. Harper, Jr.

Board Member

Abe Harper is the founder and President of Harper Technologies, LLC, an information technology consulting and service firm in Daphne, Alabama. Mr. Harper has served Merchants & Marine Bank as an Advisory Member of the Board and as a member of the Information Technology Committee since 2018.  He brings to our board a diverse set of strategic perspectives and skills developed over his two-decade career in the technology field, with expertise in areas ranging from network analytics to forensics.

Mr. Harper earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Computer Information Systems from the University of South Alabama.

His community involvement includes seats on the Alabama Innovation Commission and Alabama United, both as an appointee of Governor Kay Ivey. He is also active with City Hope Church as an Elder, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Prichard Preparatory School, and a Director and member of the 100 Black Men of Greater Mobile. He also serves as a Director for Goodwill-Gulf Coast.

Paul H. (Hal) Moore, Jr., M.D.

Board Member

Dr. Hal Moore is a retired radiologist from Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Paul H. (Hal) Moore, Jr., M.D.

Board Member

Dr. Hal Moore is a retired radiologist from Pascagoula, Mississippi. He served as the longtime President of Singing River Hospital System and practiced medicine at Singing River Radiology Group, which he founded. His experience as an entrepreneur, medical practice owner, and medical practitioner brings unique insights to our board on multiple fronts.

Dr. Moore earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, as well as a Master’s degree in Education and Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Mississippi. He served his profession in multiple capacities, through his leadership in the Mississippi State Medical Association (past-president), Mississippi Radiological Society (past-president), and Southern Radiological Society (past-president), as well as service in the American Medical Association, the American College of Radiology, and the American Board of Radiology.

Dr. Moore is past-president of the Rotary Club and Jackson County Cancer Society, and he has been active with the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce as well as the United Way of Jackson County. He has also served as president of the US Navy League and is the current chairman of the Pascagoula Redevelopment Authority.

Diann Payne

Board Member

Diann Payne is the Executive Director of the Jackson County Civic Action Committee.

Diann Payne

Board Member

Diann Payne is the Executive Director of the Jackson County Civic Action Committee. Her expertise in the nonprofit sector is deep and varied, as she has served in multiple leadership roles since 1987. Her experience in the banking industry as a bank examiner for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and later an analyst for a financial institution provides the Board with valuable insights related to risk management and financial soundness. 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 Audit Committee.

Ms. Payne earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Mississippi Valley State University and Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Ms. Payne is without peer with regard to her community leadership across the Gulf Coast over the last few decades.  Governor Haley Barbour appointed her to serve on the Governor’s Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding, and Renewal in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  Governor Barbour also appointed her to serve on the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service, where she also chaired the Volunteer Center Development Committee. Ms. Payne is the former Chapter Chair of the Southeast Mississippi Chapter of the American Red Cross, and she also served on the Southeast Region Resource Council of the ARC in Birmingham, Alabama. In addition, she served on the Board of Directors of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, where she chaired the Education Issue Manager Group.  She currently chairs the finance committee for the Mississippi Association of Community Action Agencies and has volunteered as a family partner for Habitat for Humanity of the Gulf Coast.

Amy St. Pé

Board Member

Amy St. Pé is an attorney and entrepreneur, currently operating the Amy Lassitter St. Pé, P.A. law firm.

Amy St. Pé

Board Member

Amy St. Pé is an attorney and entrepreneur, currently operating the Amy Lassitter St. Pé, P.A. law firm. She brings deep understanding of the public sector to her board service at Merchants & Marine Bank, as she works with a number of governmental entities, including acting as the City Attorney for Moss Point and as the Board Attorney for the Pascagoula Redevelopment Authority. She also provides guidance to the Board pertaining to real estate, legal, and regulatory matters for Mississippi and Alabama.  Ms. St Pé served as an Advisory Member of the Board beginning in 2013 until becoming a Director of the Company in April 2014.

Ms. St Pé earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Juris Doctorate degree from the Mississippi College School of Law.

She serves her profession as a member of the Alabama Bar Association, the Mississippi Bar Association, and American Bar Association.

Alan K. Sudduth

Board Member

Alan Sudduth currently holds the office of Corporate Affairs Manager for Chevron in Mississippi.

Alan K. Sudduth

Board Member

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.

Henry G. (Hank) Torjusen, Jr.

Board Member

Hank Torjusen is a co-owner of Fletcher Construction Company.

Henry G. (Hank) Torjusen, Jr.

Board Member

Hank Torjusen is a co-owner of Fletcher Construction Company. He has more than three decades of leadership experience in the construction industry, giving him exceptional perspective for small businesses looking to grow. Mr. Torjusen served as an Advisory Member of the Board from July of 2013 until becoming a Director of the company in April of 2016.

Mr. Torjusen earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering Technology from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Julius A. (Jay) Willis, Jr., D.M.D.

Board Member

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.

Julius A. (Jay) Willis, Jr., D.M.D.

Board Member

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. He is a retired dentist, having practiced in Pascagoula, Mississippi for 35 years. 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 the Gulf Coast community, Dr. Willis offers many valuable perspectives to our board, from his many years as a small businessman and owner of a successful dental practice and from his service as an involved civic leader in various capacities.

Dr. Willis earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Mississippi College and a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry.

Dr. Willis contributed many years of service as a member and president of the local school board of the Pascagoula Municipal Separate School District, guiding the district’s operations including a successful bond issue campaign and the construction of two new high schools for the bank’s hometown. His leadership experience includes his service on the boards of directors of the local Chamber of Commerce, the United Way, the Regional YMCA, the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, First Presbyterian Church. In addition, he has served his profession in multiple capacities, as President of the Coast Dental Society and the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry Alumni Association.  In 2021, Dr. Willis was elected Mayor of Pascagoula.

Bragg Van Antwerp

Advisory Director

Bragg Van Antwerp serves as Managing Director at Mitchell, McLeod, Pugh & Williams Investment Adviser in Mobile, AL.

Bragg Van Antwerp

Advisory Director

Bragg Van Antwerp serves as Managing Director at Mitchell, McLeod, Pugh & Williams Investment Adviser in Mobile, AL.

Upon graduation from college, Bragg Van Antwerp accepted a job with Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc., in New York, New York, where he began his career in the financial services industry. While at Deutsche Bank, he worked as an associate in global, institutional equity sales and trading before being promoted to vice president in 2003.

In June of 2004, Bragg accepted a job with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC, also in New York. There, Bragg 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 Bernstein in 2011.

Bragg returned to Mobile and joined the firm in 2013. He serves on the boards of St. Paul’s Episcopal School, the Mobile Carnival Association, the Floral Parade Committee, and the Alabama School of Mathematics & Science. He is also a member of the Board of Advisors for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. Bragg and his wife, Hayley, have three sons, Thomas, Emory and Charles, and one daughter, Frances.

Mr. Van Antwerp has been an Advisory Director of Merchants & Marine Bank since April 2018.

Clayton Legear

President & Chief Executive Officer, Board Member

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

President & Chief Executive Officer, Board Member

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 Bank 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.