Home » Woodford retires, Kentucky Bancshares names Proctor Caudill chairman

Woodford retires, Kentucky Bancshares names Proctor Caudill chairman

Proctor Caudill

PARIS, Ky. — Buckner Woodford is retiring as chairman of Kentucky Bancshares and will be succeeded by Proctor Caudill.

Woodford began his banking career with Bourbon Agricultural Bank after earning an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1971. At that time the bank had assets of $12 million. He succeeded Samuel Clay as bank CEO in 1974.

Bourbon Agricultural began expanding to other counties in Central Kentucky in 1990 and eventually changed its name to Kentucky Bank. Woodford became chairman of Kentucky Bank in January 2005. Assets have now grown to over $1 billion, and the bank employs 250 people at 17 offices in 11 cities.

Louis Prichard, president and CEO of Kentucky Bank, congratulated Woodford.

“I want to thank Buck for his service as president and CEO and then his contribution as chairman,” Prichard said. “His leadership, commitment and dedication to Kentucky Bank has, without question, made Kentucky Bank one of the most well respected and successful banking institutions in the commonwealth.”

Kentucky Bancshares incoming chairman Caudill also has a long history operating successful banks. Caudill was president and CEO of Peoples Bank in Elliott and Rowan counties until 2006, when Kentucky Bank acquired it and he became a member of Kentucky Bancshares board. He is currently chairman of the Strategic Planning and Governance Committee of Kentucky Bank.


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Caudill is a graduate of Morehead State University and Louisiana State University Graduate School of Banking. Caudill has been vice chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati as well as chairman of the Kentucky Bankers Association and served on many civic boards.

Kentucky Bank is a leading community bank in Kentucky. The bank has Bauer Financial Inc.’s highest 5-Star Superior rating indicating it is one of the strongest banks in the nation. Kentucky Bank has been recognized as one of The Best Places to Work in Kentucky for the past 8 years.

The Kentucky Bancshares stock symbol is KTYB.