Jeb Jones
About Jeb Jones
Independent non-employee director appointed to the boards of Southside Bancshares, Inc. and Southside Bank effective November 15, 2025; initial term expires at the 2026 Annual Meeting . Background spans equipment rental (CEO, Pro Star Rental since 2015), building materials/services (COO, Cassity Jones Companies, 2009–2015), and hospital operations (various Tenet Healthcare roles including COO of Nacogdoches Medical Center, 2002–2009). Education: BA in Economics (Texas A&M) and MBA (Harvard Business School) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro Star Rental / Pro Star Capital LP | Chief Executive Officer; President & General Partner | 2015–present | Built multi-site equipment rental operations; oversight of strategy and capital allocation |
| Cassity Jones Companies | Chief Operating Officer | 2009–2015 | Led portfolio across building materials, flooring, commercial construction, and real estate |
| Tenet Healthcare (incl. Nacogdoches Medical Center) | Multiple management roles; COO of Nacogdoches Medical Center | 2002–2009 | Hospital operations, compliance, and performance management |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Christus Health Northeast Texas Region | Vice Chair | Not disclosed |
| Hospice of East Texas | Past Chair | Not disclosed |
| City of Tyler Planning & Zoning Commission | Past Chair | Not disclosed |
| The Texas Lyceum | Executive Committee | Not disclosed |
Board Governance
- Committees: Assigned to Southside Bank’s Executive/Loan & Discount Committee, Trust Committee, and Investment/Asset-Liability Committee (ALCO) .
- Independence status: He is a non-employee director. The Company’s 2025 proxy states all current directors other than the CEO were independent under NYSE rules; Jones was appointed later in 2025, and independence determinations are made by the Board under NYSE standards .
- Board leadership and effectiveness context: Independent Chairman and Vice Chair; committees chaired by independent directors; annual board self-assessment and director training in banking, ESG, cybersecurity, compensation, and governance .
- Attendance: 2024 data show all directors attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; Jones joined after 2024, so his attendance record will begin with the 2025–2026 cycle .
- Initial term: Expires at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders .
Fixed Compensation
Southside’s standard non-employee director compensation program (applies to Jones per appointment 8‑K):
| Component | Amount / Terms |
|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $101,000 (paid quarterly) |
| Additional retainers (if chair) | Chairman $48,500; Vice Chair $23,500; Audit Chair $23,500; Compensation Chair $12,500; Risk Chair $12,500; Innovation/Digital/IT Chair $7,500; Trust Chair $7,500; Corporate Governance & Nominating Chair $5,000 |
| Equity mix (RSUs) | Minimum 40% of annual retainer in RSUs; directors may elect up to 100% of cash/retainers in RSUs; RSUs vest at 1-year anniversary (accelerated pro rata upon death/disability/change in control); settlement can be immediate or deferred |
| Director fee cap | Aggregate annual compensation per non-employee director (cash + grant date fair value of awards) capped at $250,000 |
Compensatory arrangements for Jones are “consistent with previously disclosed standard arrangements for non-employee directors” in the 2025 proxy .
Performance Compensation
- No performance-based director compensation (no director performance metrics or option grants structure noted for directors; RSUs are time-based per program) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Institution | Type | Role/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Public company boards | Public | None disclosed |
| Christus Health NE Texas Region | Nonprofit/health system | Vice Chair |
| Hospice of East Texas | Nonprofit | Past Chair |
| City of Tyler Planning & Zoning Commission | Municipal | Past Chair |
| The Texas Lyceum | Nonprofit | Executive Committee |
No public-company interlocks or shared directorships with direct competitors/suppliers/customers disclosed for Jones .
Expertise & Qualifications
- General management and operations: multi-site industrial services (equipment rental), building materials and construction, hospital administration .
- Corporate governance/community leadership: board leadership across healthcare, municipal planning, and civic organizations .
- Education: Economics (Texas A&M), MBA (Harvard Business School) .
- Bank committee fit: Loan/Discount and ALCO assignments align with credit risk, funding mix, and asset-liability oversight capabilities .
Equity Ownership
| Policy / Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director stock ownership policy | Must own at least 5,000 shares within 5 years of election; RSUs count toward compliance; all non-employee directors receive at least 40% of retainer in RSUs |
| Anti-hedging/anti-pledging | Prohibits hedging, short sales, and pledging of company securities for directors and equity award recipients |
| Shares outstanding (for context) | 30,409,265 as of March 19, 2025; 5,000 shares ≈ 0.016% of outstanding based on this share count |
As Jones was appointed in November 2025, his beneficial ownership was not listed in the March 19, 2025 table; compliance with the 5‑year guideline will be monitored via RSU elections and share accumulation .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Relevant operational experience and MBA credentials bolster board’s practical oversight in credit and ALCO domains; assignments to Bank committees (Loan/Discount, Trust, ALCO) position him to influence credit quality, fiduciary oversight, and balance sheet risk management .
- Standard director pay structure with mandatory RSU component and strong anti-hedging/anti-pledging policy supports alignment with shareholders and mitigates red flags from pledging/derivatives .
- Independent board leadership and committee chairs, plus annual self-assessments and training, suggest solid governance hygiene .
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Watch items / potential conflicts:
- Jones is CEO/GP of Pro Star Rental and previously COO of Cassity Jones Companies; as Southside Bank maintains ordinary‑course loans and credits to directors and related interests under Regulation O with board approval protocols, any banking relationships with Jones’ entities should be monitored for compliance (terms must match market and avoid unfavorable features) .
- Company-level committee assignments for Jones were not disclosed in the appointment 8‑K; concentration on Bank committees implies limited direct role in Company Audit/Compensation governance initially, which should be considered when evaluating board-level oversight of financial reporting and executive pay .
- Attendance and ownership compliance will only be observable starting 2026 proxy disclosures; track RSU elections and share accumulation against the 5-year requirement .
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Signals affecting investor confidence:
- Appointment alongside two other directors in October 2025 reflects board refresh; compensatory arrangements adhere to standard program, avoiding bespoke terms, which is positive for governance consistency .
- 2025 Say‑on‑Pay approval and adoption of a NYSE/Rule 10D‑1 compliant clawback policy demonstrate responsiveness to shareholder expectations and regulatory standards (program-wide, not director-specific) .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Jones (no related‑party transactions, hedging/pledging, or attendance issues reported). Continue monitoring for any Reg O credits to Jones’ businesses and for future committee changes that could introduce conflicts .