J.R. Buckner is the president and CEO of First Federal Bank of Kansas City, a $800 million federal mutual savings association headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. J.R. joined First Federal in November 2012 and became the president and chief executive officer in April 2014.

J.R. began his banking career in 1994 at a community bank with $150 million in assets. He served in all areas of the bank and left in 2005 to join a $400 million community bank as executive vice president. In 2012, that bank merged with another community bank and J.R. left to join First Federal.

J.R. has served on the board of directors of numerous nonprofits and has served as the treasurer of his church. He is a member of the American Bankers Association’s Mutual Institutions Council as well as a member of the Mutual Savings Association Advisory Council to the Office of the Comptroller of Currency. J.R. received a bachelor’s degree in accounting and management from Park University and is a graduate of Missouri School of Banking and GSBC.