Meridianite Steven Cooksey has been promoted to president and chief executive officer  of Great Southern Bank effective Jan. 1, Executive Committee Chairman Jeff McCoy announced Monday.

Cooksey began his career with Great Southern Bank in May 2015 as a Senior Vice-President and soon thereafter became Chief Financial Officer after a successful 16-year career as a CPA and partner with a public accounting firm in Meridian. In January 2020, he was promoted to executive vice president and CFO, and in August 2022, was elected president and chief operating officer of the bank.

Cooksey graduated from Mississippi State University in 1999 and earned his Certified Public Accountant credential in March 2002. In 2023, he graduated with high honors from the Graduate School of Banking at LSU.  Steven is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Steven is a member of the Meridian Rotary Club and serves on the board of directors for the Meridian Community College Foundation and the Meridian Symphony Association.  In addition, he serves on the Banking and Finance Committee of the MSCPA.   He previously served on the Adkerson School of Accountancy Advisory Council of Mississippi State University and was a past president of the Meridian Kiwanis Club.  Cooksey and his wife Tracy have two daughters, Savannah Hurst (Cole) and Sarah Cooksey and are members of Pursuit Church of Meridian.

“Great Southern Bank is fortunate to have someone with Steven’s capabilities and knowledge to lead this bank in the years to come,” McCoy said. “His vision will allow the bank to continue its growth and service to its customers as it has since the bank’s inception in 1902.  We look forward to the bank’s future under Steven’s leadership.”