2025 Economic Impact Awards 11-20 Years in Business: The Bank of Missouri

The Bank of Missouri prioritizes community banking and financial literacy – extending its reach nationwide while remaining rooted locally. President and CEO Adrian Breen emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between a bank and the community as key to success.

“You can’t have a healthy bank without a healthy community,” he says. “If you don’t have hope or opportunity, then your community is going to struggle.”

Employees are the bank’s most crucial investment. To thrive in a competitive market like southwest Missouri, Breen says the bank focuses on recruitment and retention practices like workforce readiness programs, continuing education and mentorship. Its employee stock ownership program, the largest shareholder, contributes to long-term financial well-being of the institution, which was founded in Perryville in 1891.

“There’s an economic impact and a quality of life and personal development side of that,” Breen says. “Building wealth starts with the employees, and then their ability to go out to their consumer and commercial and small-business customers in the community and keep that same grounded approach.”

The Bank of Missouri has a broad philanthropic reach, supporting more than 300 organizations. These contributions have included supporting Elevate Branson’s tiny home project, The Kitchen Inc.’s Maplewood Villas project and The Vecino Group LLC’s Sankofa affordable housing project as the primary lender. In 2024, the bank committed $100,000 to Innovate SOMO Funds, Codefi LLC’s venture investment program for startups. It offers a donation debit card program to nonprofits and schools, donating more than $54,000 in 2024 and approximately $13,000 in 2025 so far. One of the bank’s largest impacts, Breen says, comes from its nationwide Banking as a Service credit card program. More than six million cards have been issued to provide options for underbanked individuals with subprime credit scores.

As banking evolves, agility is essential. At the same time, Breen says the Bank of Missouri’s ability to adapt lies in its integrated approach that emphasizes community banking.

“We have intentionally remained committed to community banking,” Breen says. “As you take deposits from local communities, we have a commitment to lend out in those communities. … It starts in Missouri; it ripples out nationwide. The earnings that come back from that nationwide program are then redeployed and it gives us greater capacity and flexibility to invest in those local companies.”