Roots of the Bank date back to the 1890´s

• 1890 - First National Bank of Opelousas established - Opelousas, LA
• 1894 - First National Bank of Opelousas conversion to a State Bank (St. Landry State Bank) - Opelousas, LA
• 1895 - The Peoples State Bank established - Opelousas, LA
• 1901 - Eunice State Bank established - Eunice, LA
• 1919 - Merger of St. Landry State Bank and Peoples State Bank to form St. Landry Bank & Trust - Opelousas, LA
• 1921 - Merger of St. Landry Bank & Trust and Opelousas National Bank - Opelousas, LA
• 1923 - Southern Banking Company established - Eunice, LA
• 1930 - Merger of Eunice Bank & Trust Company with Southern Banking Company - Eunice, LA
• 1931 - St. Landry Bank & Trust acquires Southern Banking Company - Eunice, LA
• 1931 - New bank charter established as St. Landry Bank and Trust Company
• 1990 - St. Landry Bank & Trust acquires First Louisiana Federal Savings Bank
• 1992 - St. Landry Bank & Trust acquires Progressive National Bank

 

 

• For a look back in time on the history of the bank, see the following story on StLandryNow.com:

A Look Back in Time - St. Landry Bank and Trust Company
 

 

---

 

 

 

Bank Leadership

 

	Appointed President and CEO - December 1931 Born in Plaquemine, LA in1893, Mr. Hirsch served as President and Chairman of the Board of St. Landry Bank for 15 years until his untimely death in 1947 on his 54th birthday.  He was a veteran of the first World War and served as St. Landry Chairman of war bond drives.  He was a member and past President of the Opelousas Rotary and Chamber of Commerce.  He was also a member of the Elks Lodge, American Legion, Masons, Shriners, and the B'nai B'rith national Jewish organization.  Mr. Hirsch was a former chairman of the Southwest Regional Clearing House Association, and a member of the legislative committee of the State Bankers Association.
Morris A. Hirsch
	Appointed President and CEO - July 1947 Born in Thibodaux, LA in 1889, Mr. Dezauche served as President and Chairman of the Board of St. Landry Bank for over 10 years until his death in January 1958.  He was a member of the Association of Commerce, the Rotary Club, the Louisiana Bankers Association and the Southwest Clearing House Association. He received the Association of Commerce's first citizenship award in 1946 for outstanding civic work.
William Allen Dezauche
	Appointed President and CEO - January 1958 Born in Opelousas, LA in 1921, Mr. Tomlinson served as President and Chairman of the Board of St. Landry Bank for over 29 years until his death in April 1987.  He was a navigator and a U.S. Army Air Force veteran of World War II.  Tomlinson was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church, VFW and American Legion. He also served as President and Chairman of the Board of First Federal Savings and Loan Association.  He was president of Opelousas-St. Landry Securities Company, Inc., a holding company owned by St. Landry Bank.
Robert S. Tomlinson
	Appointed President and CEO - April 1987 Born in Opelousas, LA in 1946, Mr. Tomlinson served as President and Chairman of the Board of St. Landry Bank for over 25 years until his retirement in January 2013 and still serves on the holding company board.  He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1968 and served until 1972, where he trained to be an Aviation Data Analyst and Computer Operator aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt aircraft carrier.  Tomlinson was a board member and Treasurer of Sertoma, Inc; board member of the US Junior Chamber; board member, Treasurer, and founding member for GEOIDC (Greater Economic Opelousas Industrial Development District); board member and founding member for SLEIDD (St. Landry Economic and Industrial Development District).  Additionally, Mr. Tomlinson was a board member, Treasurer for FNBB (First National Bankers' Bank) in Baton Rouge, LA.
Robert S. Tomlinson, Jr.
	Appointed President and CEO - January 2013 Born in Lafayette, LA, Ms. Poulet served as President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board from 2013 until 2022 where she remained as Bank President until her retirement in December 2024.  A graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL) and the Banking School of the South at Louisiana State University (LSU), she has held key positions at several financial institutions, including First National Bank in Lafayette, Southwest National Bank, and St. Landry Bank & Trust Company.  She has built a distinguished career with St. Landry Bank for 20 years and still serves on the holding company board. Beyond professional achievements, Ms. Poulet is committed to community service and has served on the Board of Directors for Healing House in Lafayette, including a term as Chairman.  She has also contributed her expertise to the Finance Committee at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau.
Michelle R. Poulet
	Appointed CEO - December 2022, Appointed President & CEO - January 2025 Born in Opelousas, LA, Mr. Tomlinson started at the bank in 2020 becoming CEO in 2022.  Upon President Poulet's retirement in December 2024, he then assumed the President & CEO role.  Mr. Tomlinson begain his career in banking with Hancock Whitney in 2014 at their New Orleans regional headquarters.  He is a Finance graduate of Louisiana State University (LSU) and received his MBA from Loyola University New Orleans in 1995.  Mr. Tomlinson also completed the course study at the Graduate School of Banking at LSU.  Tomlinson has served the community in many capacities as a board member of the Kiwanis Club of Opelousas both as President and Treasurer.  Additionally, he has served on the boards of Opelousas Main Street and Vision St. Landry.  He is also a Certified Louisiana Notary Public.
Robert S. Tomlinson, III