Despite its name, Great Southern Bancorp is firmly entrenched in the heartland. It is the holding company for Great Southern Bank, which operates more than 50 branches in Missouri, plus more than two dozen locations in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Arkansa. Founded in 1923, the bank offers checking and savings accounts, CDs, IRAs, and credit cards. Its lending activities primarily consist of real estate loans; commercial and industrial revenue bonds account for more than a third of its loan portfolio, while residential mortgages are about a quarter. The bank also writes consumer, construction, and business loans.