Heritage Land Bank names new Cheif Executive Officer

Heritage Land Bank, ACA named Stephen R. Ogletree chief executive officer of the rural financing cooperative, effective mid-Noember.

He reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for the corporate administration, planning and overall management of the Tyler-based lending institution.

A 31-year veteran of the Farm Credit System, Ogletree is a native of Garland, Texas. A football scholarship took him to Rice University where he graduated in 1973.

Ogletree began his Farm Credit career as a loan officer for Tyler Production Credit Association in 1973. In 1980, he went to the Farm Credit Bank of Texas as a credit reviewer and on to Valley Production Credit Association as President in 1982.

In 1984, he went back the Farm Credit Bank of Texas as Regional Vice President, but later decided East Texas was the place he wanted to be.

He became CEO and President for Tyler Production Credit Association in 1985. In 1999, he became CEO of the merged association forming AgriLand, FCS.

"Heritage is so fortunate to have such a skilled CEO come on board. The Heritage Board of Directors and employees look forward to working with him to make Heritage the premier lender in East Texas," stated Chief Financial Officer Jenny Sloan.

Ogletree and his wife, Cynthia, live in Flint just out of Tyler. They have three grown sons and one granddaughter.

Heritage Land Bank, ACA is a member-owned lending cooperative, which provides long-term, intermediate, shortterm, and commercial financing for farms, ranches, rural residences, timber tracts, agri-businesses, equipment, livestock purchases, and operating capital.

The association services 16 counties with loan volume in excess of $360 million. Offices are located in Athens, Greenville, McKinney, Nacogdoches, Palestine, Rockwall, and Tyler.