FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., Aug. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — White River Bancshares Company (OTCQX: WRIV) (the “Company”), the holding company for Signature Bank of Arkansas (the “Bank”), today announced the addition of Kevin Kooman as an independent director to its Board of Directors.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kevin as an independent director to our Board of Directors,” said Gary Head, Chief Executive Officer. “Having previously served on our Board from 2016 to 2021 as a representative of an institutional investor, he brings a well-grounded perspective on the communities we serve and on our business model. That perspective will make him a valuable addition to the Company as we chart our path forward.”

Mr. Kooman is a seasoned strategic advisor with over 30 years of experience advising boards and executive teams on corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, capital formation and allocation, and risk oversight. Notably, he brings deep financial expertise from senior roles across the industry, having served as a private equity partner and an investment banking managing director. Mr. Kooman holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Villanova University with Honors and an MBA in Finance with Highest Distinction Honors from Temple University, and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive).

About White River Bancshares Company

White River Bancshares Company is the single bank holding company for Signature Bank of Arkansas, headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Bank has locations in Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Rogers, Brinkley, Harrison and Jonesboro, Arkansas. Founded in 2005, Signature Bank of Arkansas provides a full line of financial services to small businesses, families and farms. White River Bancshares Company (OTCQX: WRIV), trades on the OTCQX^® Best Market.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains statements about future events. These forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions of management of the Company and the Bank and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” or similar expressions or the negative of those terms. Our ability to predict results of future events and the actual effect of future plans or strategies are inherently uncertain, and actual results may differ materially from those predicted in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could have a material adverse effect on our operations and future prospects or that could affect the outcome of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in interest rates; the economic health of the local real estate market; general economic conditions; credit deterioration in our loan portfolio that would cause us to increase our allowance for credit losses; legislative or regulatory changes; technological developments; monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board; the quality or composition of our loan and securities portfolios; demand for loan products in our market areas; deposit flows and costs of capital; competition; retention and recruitment of qualified personnel; demand for financial services in our market areas; and changes in accounting principles, policies, and guidelines. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. The Company does not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.