Can you name the largest bank headquartered in Louisiana? Not likely.
Origin Bank, headquartered in the village of Choudrant, will become the state's largest bank with $5.5 billion in assets when IberiaBank's merger with First Horizon is complete and its headquarters is moved from Lafayette to Memphis under the First Horizon name.
"Most people are going to be shocked," Origin Bank's Chief Executive Officer Drake Mills said, laughing.
Though the bank headquarters is located in Choudrant, with a population of fewer than 1,000 and one blinking traffic light, the corporate company headquarters is in the city of Ruston, home to a vibrant economy and Louisiana Tech University.
Mills said he promised his mentor and former CEO John Emory he wouldn't move the bank headquarters address, paying homage to the company's roots that got its start as the Bank of Choudrant more than a century ago in 1912.
Mills took the company public in the spring of 2018 and it now trades under the symbol OBNK.
"We've experienced pretty phenomenal growth — most of it organic," Mills said.
"It's a testament to the talent of our team and our culture," said Mills, citing bank President Lance Hall and others.
Origin Bank employs about 800 company wide with operations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. More than 200 of those, including the company's executive team, are located at the corporate headquarters in Ruston.
"When I recruit other companies to Ruston I use Origin Bank as an example both as a point of pride and to show our city can provide an environment to support such a large company," Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker said.
"Drake's vision and his ability to execute it has been incredible, and we're excited the company has chosen to remain here and grow," Walker said.
Louisiana energy magnate James Davison is among the bank's largest stockholders.
"It's a big deal, and its success is one of the driving forces in my decision to develop Squire Creek in Choudrant," said Davison, whose Squire Creek golf club and surrounding residential area has become a signature development in the region.
The bank changed its name from the Bank of Choudrant to Community Trust Bank in 1986 and to Origin Bank in 2015 to elevate its brand as the company continued to expand beyond its founding borders with an eye toward going public.
Mills joined the bank in 1983 and rose to become its top executive in 2003.
"Becoming Louisiana's largest bank will make other companies and banks recognize us as a player as we continue to seek ways for smart, profitable growth," Mills said.
And having the headquarters of a public company located in Ruston maximizes the company's economic impact on the city and all of northern Louisiana, said North Louisiana Economic Partnership President Scott Martinez.
"Origin Bank is a leading economic driver along the I-20 corridor," Martinez said. "To have a company with such a broad reach centered in Ruston isn't just a feather in our cap, but it grows our economy.
"All of the decision makers are here," Martinez said. "That means anybody who wants to do business with the company has to come to Ruston and all of the profits from other states return to Louisiana to grow this economy."
Mills said future growth could come from acquisitions.
"We believe we have a model that will allow us to remain independent and grow to benefit our team, our customers, our shareholders and our community," he said.
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Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1