RiverHills Bank names Neely and Keen co-CEOs, Gage shifts to CIO

The RiverHills Bank Board of Directors approved a long-planned management succession that moves Robert D. Gage IV out of the chief executive role after more than four decades of service, names Joel Neely and Mike Keen as Co-Chief Executive Officers, and assigns Gage to the new role of Chief Investment Officer while he remains on the boards of RiverHills Bank and RiverHills Capital Corporation. The board described the plan as honoring the bank’s heritage and positioning it for future growth.

“As Co-CEOs, Joel Neely and Mike Keen represent a leadership team with deep institutional knowledge and longstanding ties to the communities RiverHills serves,” Gage said. “With their combined leadership and experience, the bank expects a seamless transition and continued focus on responsible growth and customer service.”

Gage is a fourth-generation leader who helped grow RiverHills from a single Port Gibson branch into a community bank with branches in Port Gibson, Vicksburg, Madison and Oxford and assets exceeding $430 million. RiverHills has operated continuously for more than 130 years; Gage’s move to Chief Investment Officer preserves his board roles and retains his institutional presence in the institution he led for decades.

Joel Neely, named Co-CEO, has been with RiverHills for 13 years and has held key roles across lending and bank operations. Neely is a University of Mississippi graduate in Banking and Finance, has completed advanced banking education programs, and lives in Madison with his wife Jessica and three children. RiverHills’ officer listing shows Neely as “Joel Neely — President – Madison — NMLS #546719 — 601.853.4122.”

Mike Keen, the other Co-CEO appointee, is a 21-year RiverHills veteran and Vicksburg native whose career emphasis is operational leadership and customer relationships. RiverHills’ officer listing shows “Mike Keen — President – Vicksburg — NMLS #757263 — 601.636.3833,” and a third-party business entry lists his workplace address as 553 Chamber Dr.

Corey Addy, president of RiverHills’ Oxford location, endorsed the choice, saying, “Joel Neely and Mike Keen are the perfect choices for leading our bank to new heights of customer satisfaction and successful growth.” The bank operates its Oxford office under “Corey Addy — President – Oxford — NMLS #516936 — 662.259.7323” on the RiverHills officer page.

RiverHills’ online officer directory also lists Howell N. Gage, Jr. as Chairman of the Board and multiple executive officers and vice presidents with contact details, including Tommy Duren — Executive Vice President — NMLS #757259 — 601.661.7303; W. David Blackledge — Senior Vice President — NMLS #757258 — 601.661.7314; Heather McGuire — Vice President/Comptroller — 601.853.4192; and others such as Jud Watkins — Vice President — NMLS #546720 — 601.853.4141 and Amanda Thornell — Assistant Vice President/Operations Manager — 601.636.1913.

Notably, the bank’s own officer listing still shows “Robert D. Gage IV — CEO — 601.437.1003,” indicating the public website extract available to this newsroom had not been updated at the time it was captured. The board’s approved succession plan, the Co-CEO appointments and Gage’s shift to Chief Investment Officer reflect an internal leadership reshuffle aimed at continuity as RiverHills looks to expand its customer service and responsible growth across its four-county footprint and $430 million-plus asset base.