Business First Bancshares (NASDAQ:BFST) shareholders approved all three proposals presented at the company’s 2026 annual meeting, including the election of 16 directors, an advisory vote on executive compensation and the ratification of the company’s independent auditor.
Jude Melville, Chairman of the Board of Business First Bancshares and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of b1BANK, presided over the virtual annual meeting. Melville said shareholders attending virtually could submit questions through the meeting portal and noted that meeting materials, including the company’s proxy statement and annual report, were available to participants.
Directors Elected for One-Year Terms
The first item of business was the election of 16 directors to serve until the company’s 2027 annual meeting of shareholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Strong said the proposal was presented by the board and described in the proxy statement dated April 8, 2026.
The elected directors were:
- George W. Cummings III
- Ricky D. Day
- John P. Ducrest
- Mark P. Folse
- William G. Hall
- J. Vernon Johnson
- Rolfe H. McCollister Jr.
- David R. Melville III
- Patrick E. Mockler
- David A. Montgomery Jr.
- Arthur J. Price
- Aimee Quirk
- Alejandro M. Sanchez
- Zeenat Sidi
- Keith A. Tillage
- Steven G. White
Strong said each nominee was elected by a majority vote. No other nominations were made during the meeting.
Shareholders Approve Executive Compensation Vote
Shareholders also approved, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation of the company’s named executive officers. Strong said the proposal would pass if votes cast in favor exceeded votes cast against it. The board had recommended approval of the proposal.
Auditor Ratification Approved
The third proposal was the ratification of Forvis Mazars LLP as Business First Bancshares’ independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending Dec. 31, 2026. Matthew Cannon and Steven Corey of Forvis Mazars LLP attended the meeting as invited guests, according to Melville.
Strong reported that shareholders approved the ratification proposal. She said the official voting results would be posted in a current report on Form 8-K to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission within four days following the meeting.
No Additional Business Raised
After the voting results were announced, Melville said he was aware of no other business to be brought before the meeting and moved to adjourn the business portion. He thanked shareholders who attended and those who submitted proxies but were unable to participate.
Melville then opened the floor for questions through the meeting portal and from attendees in person. No questions were addressed during the session, and the meeting was concluded.
About Business First Bancshares (NASDAQ:BFST)
Business First Bancshares, Inc is the bank holding company for Business First Bank, a regional community bank headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, the company provides a full suite of commercial and retail banking services to small and medium-sized businesses, professionals and individual consumers. Business First Bancshares operates under a community-focused model, emphasizing personalized service, local decision-making and relationship banking.
The company’s primary business activities include commercial lending, treasury and cash management, and deposit services.
