Kendra Linder Palmer Appointed to American Bankers Association Emerging Leaders Council

b1BANK retail banking leader selected to represent Louisiana on national council

BATON ROUGE, La. - Kendra Linder Palmer, EVP, Director of Retail Banking at b1BANK, has been appointed to the American Bankers Association Emerging Leaders Council for the 2026-27 association year, representing Louisiana.

The Emerging Leaders Council brings together bankers from across the country to help shape opportunities for the current and next generation of industry leaders. Council members provide perspectives that inform ABA programs focused on leadership development, networking, advocacy, financial literacy and industry engagement.

"Kendra is a strong leader and has done a great job leading our retail banking team and building a positive culture across our banking centers," said Jude Melville, chairman and CEO of b1BANK. "She understands that taking care of our clients starts with having strong teams in place to serve them. This is a well-deserved opportunity for Kendra, and we're fortunate to have her representing b1BANK and Louisiana on the council."

As Director of Retail Banking, Palmer leads b1BANK's banking center network, with a focus on building strong teams and elevating the client experience across the bank's growing footprint.

"I'm honored to represent b1BANK and Louisiana on the Emerging Leaders Council," Palmer said. "This is an opportunity to learn alongside banking leaders from across the country, share what we are seeing in our own communities and contribute to how our industry develops its next generation of leaders."

"As a member-driven organization we are so fortunate to have emerging leaders that help direct and inform the work we do on behalf of the industry," said Caitlin Taylor, Vice President, ABA State Association Alliance. "We're grateful that Kendra is participating in this council and will provide her expertise in these efforts that are critically important to banks across the country."

About b1BANK

As of June 30, 2026, Business First Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: BFST), through its banking subsidiary b1BANK, has $8.9 billion in assets and $5.6 billion in assets under management through b1BANK's affiliate Smith Shellnut Wilson LLC (SSW), excluding $0.9 billion of b1BANK assets managed by SSW. b1BANK operates banking centers and loan production offices in markets across Louisiana and Texas, providing commercial and personal banking products and services. b1BANK is a 2024 Mastercard "Innovation Award" winner and multiyear winner of American Banker Magazine's "Best Banks to Work For." Visit b1BANK.com for more information.