For Immediate Release

(Hot Springs, Ark. – June 12, 2023) – Community First Trust (CFT) proudly introduces Will Hegi as Trust Officer and Leslie Warner as Trust Specialist in South Arkansas. Hegi serves the El Dorado and Magnolia, Arkansas, market; while Warner serves the Texarkana, Arkansas, and Texarkana, Texas, markets. 

Community First Trust has recently moved to a new office in downtown El Dorado, conveniently located at 200 North Jefferson in Suite 618. Will Hegi began at Community First Trust in October 2022, bringing four years of experience in estate planning, real estate law, family law, probate, business formation, and business transactions. 

Hegi holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Ouachita Baptist University and earned a Juris Doctorate in 2018 from the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. He is a licensed attorney and a member of the Union County Bar Association.  He also attends First Baptist Church in El Dorado.

As a Trust Officer, Hegi can help customers with trust management and guidance, estate planning, probate matters, and investment strategies. To set up a meeting with Will, please call 870-677-6967, email him at [email protected], or visit 200 N. Jefferson Ave. Ste. 618 in El Dorado or 217 East Union St. in Magnolia. 

Leslie Rowe Warner joined Farmers Bank & Trust in 2019 and Community First Trust in 2021, after Farmers Bank & Trust acquired Community First Trust. With over 26 years of banking, wealth management, and mortgage experience, Leslie is a Trust Specialist for CFT. 

Warner attended the University of Central Arkansas. She has completed the FINRA-SIE, Series 6 and 63, Life/Health - Variable, and Fixed Life Insurance Licenses. She is a 2022 graduate of Leadership Texarkana and is involved locally with Partnership for the Pathway, Pleasant Grove High School Booster Club, and Texarkana Chamber of Commerce.  

As a Trust Specialist, Warner can help customers with trust management and guidance, estate planning, probate matters, and investment strategies. To set up a meeting with Leslie, please call 903-255-1863, email her at [email protected], or visit 2900 St Michael Drive in Texarkana, TX. 

“Will brings a strong legal mind to Community First Trust, and we are proud to have him as one of our Trust Officers. In addition, Leslie’s many years of financial experience will be an asset to any customer,” said William L. Kerst, Jr., CFT Chief Executive Officer. “We invite South Arkansas to visit with Will and Leslie in Texarkana, Magnolia, or El Dorado and look forward to having a larger presence in Arkansas and Texas.”

About Community First Trust Company: Community First Trust Company was chartered in 1998 as the first and only independent trust company in Arkansas. With over $340 million in trust assets, the company maintains offices in Hot Springs, Hot Springs Village, Little Rock, Texarkana, Magnolia, and El Dorado. To learn more, visit their website at CommunityFirstTrust.com.

• EL Dorado Interior

• EL Dorado Office

• Leslie Warner

• Will Hegi