BancorpSouth Announces Planned Retirement of Chairman and CEO

BancorpSouth, Inc. BXS today announced that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Aubrey Patterson has informed the Board of Directors of his plan to retire as Chief Executive Officer in 2013.  Mr. Patterson was appointed Chairman and CEO of BancorpSouth in 1991, having previously served as its President and CEO from 1990 to 1991 and its President and Chief Operating Officer from 1983 to 1990. Mr. Patterson expects to continue to serve as Chairman and CEO until a successor is named and the CEO transition is complete.  It is anticipated that this will occur at or around the time of the annual shareholders meeting in April 2013.  The Board has formed a search committee to identify a new CEO and has retained Spencer Stuart, a leading executive search firm with experience in CEO transitions, to advise the Board on potential candidates.