03 Aug 2025 Here’s to Johnny

Posted at 1:59 PMh in News by

By Stefanie Brazile

The room had a congratulatory atmosphere as friends and colleagues gathered to celebrate the successful career of a respected leader and kind gentleman. After 44 years in the banking industry, and the past 25 as First Security Bank market president for Conway, Johnny Adams retired June 26 and a party was held at The Max Event Venue.

Johnny and Stacia Adams. Photos by Makenzie Evans

Community leaders and First Security Bank’s executive team took to the podium to praise Adams and his wife, Stacia, for supporting community causes, hosting events at their home and for consistently taking the time to listen and support people’s dreams. Adams and his family have lived in Faulkner County for several generations.

“What a run, 44 years!” said Pete Tanguay, founder of Rock Pond Pros and owner of The Max. “If you know Johnny, you know he cares deeply — not just about doing good business but about doing good. He always made time for people regardless of their title, their balance sheet or their background.”

Conway Area Chamber President and CEO Brad Lacy spoke about 25 years of working on projects with Adams. “My staff and I are often working on big dreams for this place, and often when you work on things like that, there’s a room full of no’s and you’re looking for the one yes, and you’re always the one yes. And I thank you for being the one yes,” he said. “You are a dreamer, and you have confidence that we can be something better than we are.” Lacy said Adams will continue as the chairman of the Conway Development Corporation.

First Security Bank Regional President John Rutledge, retired Conway Market President Johnny Adams and Rob Bell, a principal of Eric, Rob & Isaac.

Mike Baldwin has had the office next to Adams for 25 years. “Johnny has been our leader and role model, and our employees would like to say ‘thank you’ for leading us with a servant’s heart,” he said. “We’ve all been truly blessed by your kind and caring spirit.”

“Johnny Adams has done more for Conway than anybody I know, and he loves it and it’s just his heart,” Mark Ferguson, executive vice president of First Security Bancorp, said. “Stacia, you are so instrumental, and you are so important and you’ve been right there, and it wouldn’t have happened without you.”

First Security Bancorp Chairman and CEO Reynie Rutledge joked that people have asked when he would retire, and he said he knows why he is not going to retire. “It’s because I don’t have anybody who will say all the nice things that they’ve said about you [looking at Adams], so I’m going to keep working,” he said.

Lindsay and Jon Ross, the new Conway Market President.

Rutledge met Adams on June 19, 2000, and said they have had an unbelievable time. “The bank was at about $1 billion when you came, and now we’re over $8 billion with mostly Arkansas customers. We truly like to be a significant part of the communities we’re in, and I don’t know if we have a leader who represents more of what we try to do than Johnny Adams,” he said. “He’s been instrumental in our company and everything we have done in the last 25 years, and it’s amazing and I appreciate it so much. I want to thank Stacia and Johnny for the blessing you’ve been to First Security. We love you and wish you well in your retirement.”

The bank’s leaders then welcomed Jon Ross Henderson to the podium. Henderson was recently named market president of Conway. He formerly served as senior vice president and commercial loan officer and has been part of the lending team for 20 years. Originally from Greenbrier, he has been a resident of Conway for more than 17 years.

Henderson holds a BBA from Arkansas Tech University, an MBA degree in business administration from the University of Central Arkansas and is a graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking at University of Pennsylvania. He also is a graduate of the Faulkner County Leadership Institute and Leadership Arkansas. 

“Johnny and his team at First Security Bank have been a key community partner with us for all these years and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.” — James A. Loy. Executive Director of Renewal Ranch

He has served his community and state in numerous Board of Directors positions, including the United Way of Central Arkansas, University of Central Arkansas Foundation Board of Directors, Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation, Deliver Hope, Conway Corporation and Conway Christian School Board of Trustees. He and his wife, Lindsay, live in Conway, are members of The Summit Church and have one son, Owen.