Business Briefcase 8/19

CHARLESTON?- Darrell Ray is the new vice president of lending at the Charleston FOCUS?Bank's main facility.

Ray, who has more than 14 years of banking experience, previously worked as vice president with First Midwest Bank in Sikeston. He has also been employed as a bank examiner with the Missouri Division of Finance.

Ray is a graduate of the LSU School of Banking as well as a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in finance. Ray and his wife, Liz Bone Ray, reside with their two children in Charleston.

FOCUS Bank is headquartered in Charleston, where two branches are located. Other Missouri branches are located in Cardwell, Caruthersville, East Prairie, Hornersville, and Sikeston. In Arkansas, FOCUS Bank presently operates with two branches in Paragould, and one in Marmaduke and Jonesboro.

JEFFERSON CITY - Scott Downing, superintendent of East Prairie R-2 School District, is serving as the Southeast representative on the executive committee for the Missouri Association of School Administrators during the 2007-08 school year. Downing was selected by his colleagues in Southeast Missouri to serve in this leadership position.

MASA is an advocate for public education in Missouri. The organization lobbies for additional education funds at the state Capitol and also provide information to its membership regarding the status of legislation and other issues of interest to school administrators. The organization offers a mentoring program for new superintendents, employs a staff attorney to provide legal assistance to school administrators and offers conferences and workshop to provide administrators with the information they need to be effective leaders in their districts.