First State Bank - Abilene announced in a news release Tuesday that it has been acquired by Sundip Patel and Sanat Patel, founders of AVANA Companies, who became the bank's new owners effective Nov. 16.

The bank, which has been providing services for more than 115 years, will continue to provide its full range of services without interruption, the release said.

“The customer’s peace-of-mind is our peace-of-mind, and their success is our success,” Sundip Patel said in the release. "“Our goal in acquiring First State Bank - Abilene is a simple one: to enhance and build upon the great relationship already present with the bank and the community it serves."

Former CEO Bryan Stephenson, who held that position for 18 years, will remain with the company as transition officer, the release said.

Stan Pinkham, who has more than 30 years of banking experience, has joined the company as chief operating officer. He was previously executive vice president and chief operating officer of Vast Bank.

The company's newly appointed board of directors will consist of Pinkham, Matt Hunt, Sundip Patel, Steven Coomes, Jigar Patel, Bryan Stephenson and Jim Fitzhugh, with Sanat Patel as chairman.

Abilene builder named president of state association

Gene Lantrip — founder, president and CEO of Lantrip's Custom Homes in Abilene — has been sworn in as the 2022 president of the Texas Association of Builders, the association said in news release Monday.

Lantrip, a member of the Big Country Home Builders Association, Texas Association of Builders and the National Association of Home Builders, has constructed more than 900 single family homes and duplexes since founding his company in 1995, the release said.

Lantrip has been involved with the TAB board of directors continuously since 2010, according to the release. He won a TAB Presidential award in 2015 and a Developer of the Year Award in 2018, and in 2017 became a TAB Life Director.

Abilene attorney honored by state bar foundation

Nicholas E. Arrott II, an Abilene attorney with Shahan Decker & Arrott PLLC, was recently elected to membership in the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation.

Selection for the honor is based on professional achievements and commitment to improvement of the justice system in Texas, with only one-third of a percent of State Bar of Texas members invited annually.

I-Vascular Center receives Department of Defense honors

The U.S. Department of Defence recently presented Patriotic Employer awards to Dr. Anwar S. Gerges, owner of I-Vascular Center — which has locations in Abilene, San Antonio and El Paso — as well as to Randy Ramón, IVC administrator.

The awards were presented in recognition of the support of Robert Contreras, a surgical technician with IVC who began a one-year deployment with the Army Reserve in April.

In a news release, Dave Theis, a volunteer for the DOD's Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, said "Many employers today recognize the importance of supporting our citizen soldiers. Dr. Gerges and Mr. Ramón have guaranteed that at the end of his one-year deployment, Mr. Contreras will be able to return to the same position that he had left."

Haskell Memorial Hospital recognized

HASKELL — CliftonLarsonAllen, a national professional services firm, recently named Haskell Memorial Hospital as a Top Ten Texas CAH Gold Standard Performer.

The recognition was based on Haskell Memorial achieving gold standards on four performance indicators measured by CLA: financial strength, community health, patient satisfaction and total cost of care.

Pest control education

The Taylor County AgriLife Extension will conduct its 2021 Big Country CEU Conference for pesticide applicators at 9 a.m. Dec. 9 in the Big Country Hall of the Taylor County Expo Center. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m.

Five continuing education units will be available for the Texas Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Division, with six CEU's available for the structural division.

Registration is $50 if made by Friday, and $60 thereafter. For information, call 325-672-6048 or go to taylor.agrilife.org.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Business notebook: First State Bank - Abilene under new ownership