Joby Mills didn’t always plan on becoming a banker. In fact, his career started with a finance degree, and soon enough, a law degree. Today, however, as senior vice president and director of trust services at Happy State Bank in Amarillo, Mills has found a calling that blends his legal background, financial expertise and passion for people.

Growing up in a small town in Iowa, Mills had to learn the value of education and hard work. He wasn’t a straight-A student — he jokes that in primary school he spent more time socializing than studying. After failing a few college classes, he eventually found his stride and graduated with a finance degree from the University of Northern Iowa.

Mills admitted he read too many John Grisham books following graduation and suddenly wanted to become a trial lawyer. With determination to leave his home state and attend a law school in Texas, he landed a spot in Baylor University’s law program. It was there that he discovered an interest in law and trust, which would become the foundation for his career.

Take me as south as you can go.

“Thankfully, my resume ended up on the desk of the late great Mr. Caroll Sturgis Jr.,” Mills began. “He was a recovering attorney managing the trust department at Texas State Bank in McAllen, and he invited me down for an interview.”

And so, his first job out of law school wasn’t in a courtroom, but as legal counsel for a bank just about as south as you can go in Texas. Mills began working and quickly realized he was a little too overconfident.

Mills explained, “Nothing is better than learning on the job! I buckled up and started asking a lot of senior people questions to try to shorten my learning curve.”

He shortly found himself going from providing legal support to becoming a quasi-trust officer, providing training, administrating a book of accounts and being a relationship manager. It didn’t take long before he was asked by his boss to succeed him to run the department.

Mills cracked a smile, “I always ask myself kind of like, ‘What would Sturgis do in this situation?’ He always would do the right thing.”

Panhandle, here I come!

When the opportunity came to join Happy State Bank in Amarillo, Mills was immediately drawn in by the culture. He proudly shared that there’s even a book about the bank’s reputable culture called Non-negotiable.

Happy State Bank CEO Pat Hickman personally called Mills and offered him to be a “happy banker.” Mills followed up with a laugh and a poke, “I’m sure you never used that line with anyone else!”

The bank was acquired in 2022 by Centennial Bank out of Arkansas, but Mills still manages all the Happy State Bank trust offices in the Texas market with great support from the Centennial Bank executive team and fellow trust partners. He emphasized that his priority is making sure everyone is growing the right way, and the right people are on the Happy bus.

“We work on different things to help us in marketing and to grow,” Mills revealed. “But I also keep a book of accounts as a trust officer because how best can I understand client relationships if I’m not on the frontlines?”

That philosophy of learning and a positive attitude is something Mills shares often, especially with young professionals just entering the trust and wealth management space.

“I try to be intentional about talking to the young professionals about building their personal brand. The foundation might be your degree, but now you’re on the job.” He declared, “Nothing is better than on the job training with a good attitude.”

Mills also expressed the importance of mentorship, crediting his own career to mentors like Sturgis and Hickman, who took the time to guide him. Now, he sees it as his responsibility to return the favor.

Family and community

Mills carries the values of Happy State Bank with him every day in his personal life. He remembered what Hickman would say, “If you miss an important family event because you had a client or business meeting, then you’re fired because your values stink.” So, Mills carefully balances his professional and personal lives.

“Between work, volunteering and my children, I usually don’t have much spare time,” he laughed. “However, I am going to be more intentional about getting back into running.”

Mills has been heavily involved with the Texas Bankers Association, including serving as chair of the Wealth Management & Trust Council from 2019 to 2021. He helped lead through the pandemic, embracing virtual meetings and remote flexibility — but always with an eye toward connection.

Mills also serves on several local boards, volunteers his legal skills pro bono and speaks often about financial education and estate planning. He and his wife, Estela, recently celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary. They have two young boys, Dylan and Wyatt, who keep them busy with extracurricular activities and school. His two older children, Allison and Jay, are in college — making Mills a proud dad.