Richard M. “Dick” Amis is chairman of the board of First Federal Community Bank in Paris. He has been with the bank his entire banking career. He has been very active in the Paris community where he has served as president of both the Chamber of Commerce and the McCuiston Regional Medical Center; and has been a member of the United Way Lamar County, Rotary Club, Paris Optimist Club and Jaycees. He has served the industry as chairman of the Texas Savings and Community Bankers Association and as a director of the Texas Bankers Association. Amis recently received the Lamar Country History Maker Award. 

Robert J. Cheaney II has been with Santa Anna National Bank his entire career. He began his career as a teller and today he is the president of the bank and member of the board of directors. He has been devoted to his community where he has served as chairman of the Sacred Heart Church finance committee; chairman of the Central Colorado River Authority; and treasurer of both the Santa Anna Lions Club and the Santa Anna Livestock Association. Cheaney has been the announcer for the Santa Anna High School Mountaineer football games for 40 years! He received the Lone Star Farmer Award from the Santa Anna FFA in 1999. 

Jerry Craft has been with Jacksboro National Bank his entire career. His great-grandfather was a member of the bank’s first board of directors. Today, Craft is chairman of the bank board. He has served the Jacksboro community in a number of ways, including serving as mayor from 1991-2007 and as Jacksboro ISD school board president for 10 years. Currently, he is a member of the American Legion Post 75 and a Sunday school teacher at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. He was honored as Outstanding Jacksboro Citizen in 1970 and 1992, with the Jacksboro Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 and Masonic “Builder’s Award” in 1998. 

Martha Fennell began her career as a teller with The First National Bank of Gilmer which is now The First National Bank of East Texas. She has been with the bank her entire career, serving currently as vice president and teller services supervisor. At the beginning of her career, she was a member of the team involved in developing the bank’s automated systems. She has supported the bank through multiple changes and challenges that complemented in the emergence of online banking during the recent pandemic. She attributes her longevity in banking to include her willingness to take on new challenges and adapting to changing conditions. 

W. Allen Gage began his banking career as an assistant cashier with Pasadena National Bank, then became a national bank examiner with the Comptroller of the Currency where he served for four years. He returned to banking as a VP/comptroller with Sharpstown State Bank. He later worked for Cullen Center Bank & Trust. In 1977, he accepted the position of president at First National Bank Longview. In 2008, he was founder, chairman, president & CEO of Memorial City Bank and MC Bancorporation in Houston. The bank later merged with CommunityBank and recently with Stellar Bank. In 2003, he was honored as a Distinguished Alumni Recipient from Sam Houston State University. 

Jerrie Gee began her career in data entry at Sweetwater Federal Savings & Loan Association, which changed names twice, was sold to City Savings and later acquired by Southwest Saving. In 1989, she went to work for Sun World Federal Savings Bank in Alamogordo, NM, where she was over personnel, operations and lending. She returned to Texas in 1995, working for Texas National Bank in Sweetwater, holding positions from teller, loan officer, head of the note department, assistant vice president to her current position as vice president. She has held many community leadership positions including, serving on the Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce Board and the Sweetwater High School PTO Board. 

Catherine Grossman started her banking career in 1967 as a teller with First National Bank, Alice. She was with the bank, which became Bank of South Texas until 1980. From 1980 to 2000, she worked as a senior vice president & cashier for the Commercial National Bank in Beeville, which was acquired by Prosperity Bank. Throughout her career she has worked in operations, compliance and personnel. In 2000, Rio Bank CEO Ford Sasser needed help on the operations side of the bank and reached out to Grossman who he had met in 1982 while at another bank. She accepted the position and currently serves as CFO and “Queen” of BSA. 

Travis L. Jaggers began his banking career in 1969 as a part-time teller while completing his degrees in accounting and finance at the University of Houston. He spent 10 years as a commercial lender at First Pasadena Bank before continuing his career at Texas Commerce Bank, Peoples National Bank and Bayshore National Bank. In 1997, he accepted a position at Sterling Bank as market CEO, later becoming regional CEO and chief lending officer. In 2011, he became president of CommunityBank of Texas. The bank merged with Allegiance Bank, which is now named Stellar Bank. Jaggers has been very active in many community groups in the Pasadena-Deer Park area. 

Annie Lott has spent her entire 55 year career with Frost Bank in San Antonio. She began her career in the bookkeeping department, then moved to the check order department, teller, floater (floating to all departments if they had staffing issues) and safe box manager. She has been a personal banker since 1987 and is currently an AVP. The bank has recognized her several times, including receiving the Circle of Excellence Award and the Investment Referral Award. Lott serves as a Sunday school teacher to seniors at her church and has served the community with various volunteer opportunities. 

James Jerald “Jerry” Richardson began his 60-year banking career as AVP in the credit and loan department of the First National Bank of Longview. He went to work for what is now the First National Bank of East Texas, Gilmer, in 1976. He has been very active in Gilmer, serving on the Gilmer City Council, Lions Club, Yamboree Board, Gilmer Chamber of Commerce and the Gilmer Crime Stoppers Board. He attended the Southwest Graduate School of Banking at SMU and the University of Texas Savings & Loan School in Austin. 

Tommy Sladecek began his banking career at First State Bank, Jarrell, as a bookkeeper and worked his way up to president and director. In the 80s the bank changed its name to Eagle Bank. In 2011, the bank was sold and became Eagle Bank, a branch of Round Top State Bank. He currently serves as SVP and advisory director for the bank. He has served the community in a number of ways including, vice president of the Williamson County Emergency Service District #5; finance council president, Holy Trinity Catholic Church; past board member of the Jarrell ISD; and past treasurer of the Jarrell Economic Development Corporation. 

Joe Willard started his banking career with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, first as an outgoing mail clerk and later as an examiner. In 1976, he became a loan officer for El Paso National Bank. He continued his career as a loan officer at City National Bank, Plano; First Western National Bank, Carrollton; and Texas Bank, Flower Mound. He joined American National Bank & Trust in Flower Mound where he serves as SVP/commercial lending officer. Willard has served as a past chairman of the board for the Lewisville Chamber of Commerce and past president, Lewisville Noon Rotary Club. He was also the 1986 class president at Stonier Graduate School of Banking. 

Ray Ann Baker began her banking career as a secretary at the First Bank & Trust in Lufkin. In April 1999, she accepted a position at Texas State Bank, which became American State Bank. During her career she has worked in many departments including bookkeeping, new accounts, operations and currently serves as a loan officer. Baker has been active in the Lufkin Chamber of Commerce. In 2015, she received the Diplomat of the Year Award from the Chamber and received the Silver Spike Award in 2018 for distinguished community service. She has also served as committee chair of the Women’s Networking Committee. 

Jackie Cody began her banking career as a receptionist at First State Bank Rio Vista (the Cow-pasture Bank), working with Lowell “Stretch” Smith. She continued her career at the bank as a loan assistant, then as a loan officer. The bank was bought by Norwest and later transitioned to Wells Fargo, where she was a branch manager. In 2009, Cody joined Grandview Bank where she now holds the position of senior vice president and consumer lender. She has worked with three generations of some families and helped many during Covid with PPP loans. She plans to retire at the end of the year. 

Daniel Dietert began his banking career in 1965 as a clerk for Guaranty State Bank. He has been with First State Bank of Uvalde for 32 years of his 57-year career. Today he holds the position of vice president. He has been very involved in the Uvalde community serving as treasurer of both Uvalde Chamber of Commerce and the Roadrunner Club of Uvalde and been a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Uvalde Lions Club and the Uvalde Bowling Team. Dietert has been a member of the Cross Church of Seguin for more than 65 years and has held positions on the church council and was treasurer. 

Albert D. Fields began his career in 1972 as a management trainee at American Bank of Commerce in Odessa. He has worked for several banks including Bayshore National Bank in LaPorte for 22 years. He has been with American National Bank of Texas, Terrell since 2002, where he holds the positions of EVP/COO and board member. He is a Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Life Member; served as president and director for the LaPorte Chamber of Commerce; and president, secretary and treasurer of the LaPorte Optimist Club. He has been recognized as Optimist of the Year and by the City of LaPorte for his service on the LaPorte Area Water Authority. 

Randy Gaston began his banking career in 1968, as a clearing house runner with First National Bank of Dallas. He worked at several Dallas area banks including Main Street Bank, Texas Commerce Bank Dallas and Chase Bank, holding positions from collections teller, to bookkeeping assistant cashier, manager of bank operations and manager of administration services. He has been with First State Bank of Ben Wheeler since 2003, currently servings as the bank’s SVP/cashier. He served the Dallas area as a member of the Dart and Ozone committees; the City of Wylie as chair of the planning and zoning committee; and was a member of the Collin County Planning Board. 

Tom Cody Graves, D.D.S., was elected to the Mills County State Bank board of directors in March 1972. He has served as chairman of the bank board since 1988, which was rebranded as MCBank in 2019. Graves has served on many of the bank’s committees, including Investment, Directors Loan, Audit, Technology and Executive. He has served the community as a member of the Goldthwaite City Council, Goldthwaite Consolidated ISD Board, Mills County Stock Show and Youth Fair Buyers Club Board, the local and national Boy Scouts of America organizations, and numerous committees within the First United Methodist Church of Goldthwaite. 

Robert Ihrig began his banking career 59 years ago as a bank runner and mail boy at Southern National Bank in Houston. Deciding to attend college, he worked for State Bank & Trust in San Marcos while getting his degree. He returned to Houston working for Houston National Bank, then moved to First Nichols National Bank in Kenedy. He accepted a position at Karnes County National Bank in 1985, where he currently serves as EVP/chief loan officer and member of the board of directors. He has been a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church since 1976, serving several terms on the church council, with one year as president of the council. 

Coy D. Lewis started his banking career as a personnel representative in 1966. He continued his career at Bank of Texas, Coy D. Lewis Consulting Company and then CommunityBank of Texas. CommunityBank merged with Allegiance Bank, which recently became Stellar Bank. Lewis served on the faculty of the Southwest Graduate School of Banking at SMU for 14 years, sharing his knowledge on Human Resources Administration. He was the first recipient of IBAT’s Presidents Award. 

J. Pat Parsons began his banking career as a management trainee at First City National Bank of Houston. While at the bank, he held a number of positions including manager of the International Credit Group and a member of the bank’s Asia Pacific Banking Group. He was the general manager for the bank’s London branch from 1979 to 1984. In 1992, he joined Community Bank and Trust as president and COO. Parsons served as founding CEO and chairman of CommunityBank of Texas, which later merged with Allegiance Bank and now named Stellar Bank. In April, he was inducted into the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame. 

Edwin “Eddie” L. Schulz began his banking career at Texas Commerce Bank, Lubbock as a teller and coin roller. He continued his career at the bank, moving from operations officer to cashier-comptroller, commercial lender and finally being promoted to EVP/Director. He also worked for First National Bank and State National Bancshares. In 2007, he accepted a position at Lubbock National Bank where he eventually served a president/CEO and director. When the bank merged with Amarillo National Bank, Schulz continued to serve as president of LNB. He has served many Lubbock area organizations including the Chamber of Commerce, Utility Board-Executive Committee and the South Plains Food Bank Board. 

J. Ronnie Sullins started his banking career in the data processing department of Citizens National Bank in Waco; later he moved to the Trust Department of the bank. In 1978, he went to work at Town & Country Bank in Stephenville and then moved to The Guaranty Bank and Trust Company in Gatesville where he eventually became president and CEO. In 2005, Sullins and some business associates purchased The First National Bank of Evant. Throughout his career, he has served on a number of committees and boards in Stephenville, Gatesville and Oglesby. He is currently a member of the TBA board of directors. 

SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF 53 YEARS

Charles Cooper, Texas Banking Commissioner, has made a contribution to the banking industry for more than 50 years. He began his career in 1970 with the FDIC in the Dallas Region. In his 12 years within the public sector, he served in various capacities, including, examiner, review examiner and field office supervisor of the Houston Northeast Field Office. He made the transition to the private sector in 1982, where he served as a banking executive, board member, educator and professional consultant to the industry. He was appointed Texas Banking Commissioner by the Texas Finance Commission on Dec. 1, 2008.