FirstBank Southwest celebrates 115 years with the Amarillo community

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·3 min read

FirstBank Southwest (FBSW) celebrated its 115th anniversary with the community during a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday afternoon inside the Wolflin Banking Center, located at 2401 S. Georgia.

The milestone celebration had a crowd of more than 100 individuals, including bank employees and community members, celebrating the anniversary.

FirstBank Southwest celebrated its 115th anniversary Tuesday at their location on Georgia Street.
FirstBank Southwest celebrated its 115th anniversary Tuesday at their location on Georgia Street.

"This is a special day for us. We just looked up and realized 115 years of continuous operations and service out of one bank that hasn't sold and hasn't changed hands. ... We're a profit business, obviously, but our job is to make the lives of people that live in the communities we serve better than they were the day before," said Andy Marshall, President and CEO of FBSW.

Andy Marshall, center, President and CEO, surrounded by bank staff gets a photo taken during the FirstBank Southwest 115th anniversary celebration Tuesday at its location on Georgia Street.
Andy Marshall, center, President and CEO, surrounded by bank staff gets a photo taken during the FirstBank Southwest 115th anniversary celebration Tuesday at its location on Georgia Street.
Andy Marshall, President and CEO, surrounded by bank staff and Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce members, cuts the ribbon during the FirstBank Southwest 115th anniversary celebration Tuesday at its location on Georgia Street.
Andy Marshall, President and CEO, surrounded by bank staff and Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce members, cuts the ribbon during the FirstBank Southwest 115th anniversary celebration Tuesday at its location on Georgia Street.

On June 7, 1907, FBSW began after being chartered as First National Bank of Ochiltree in the city under the same name. In 1919, after the Santa Fe Railway announced a line expansion from Shattuck, Oklahoma, to Spearman, the bank changed its name to First National Bank of Perryton.

This photo shows the 1919 move of FBSW's bank location from Ochiltree to Perryton via steam engine, while a teller managed the bank from the inside.
This photo shows the 1919 move of FBSW's bank location from Ochiltree to Perryton via steam engine, while a teller managed the bank from the inside.

During this time, as Marshall jokingly commented, the bank invented "mobile banking." While the bank building was being pulled by a steam engine from its former location in Ochiltree to its new location in Perryton, the cashier of the bank stayed inside the facility during the move. This kept the bank open and let the cashier serve customers while the building was traveling en route to its new spot.

In 1934, Carl Ellis bought controlling interest in the bank. It has been led by the Ellis family since and has added banks in Booker, Hereford, and Pampa,

The bank moved into Amarillo after the company's purchase of the Texas Commerce Bank’s location. The bank merged operations and changed the name to FirstBank Southwest, National Association in 1995. The bank changed its charter from a National Bank to a State-Chartered Bank in 2005, making the name simply FirstBank Southwest.

FirstBank Southwest celebrated its 115th anniversary Tuesday at their location on Georgia Street.
FirstBank Southwest celebrated its 115th anniversary Tuesday at their location on Georgia Street.

Today, FBSW has banking locations throughout the Texas Panhandle, including in Amarillo, Booker, Hereford, Pampa, and Perryton. In recent years, FBSW has also expanded to opening offices in Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin. Across the company, FBSW employs approximately 200 employees and has a total of more than $1.4 billion in assets.

During a toast to the future of the company and the success of another 115 years, Marshall spoke about the Ellis family's legacy and commitment to the bank and community.

Andy Marshall, President and CEO, thanks his employees and customers for years of success during the FirstBank Southwest 115th anniversary celebration Tuesday at its location on Georgia Street.
Andy Marshall, President and CEO, thanks his employees and customers for years of success during the FirstBank Southwest 115th anniversary celebration Tuesday at its location on Georgia Street.

"The next generation of Ellises have taken over the board in the last year or so, which is a good thing; it happens about every 25 years. With that, they have committed that we are here for at least another couple generations. I hope for another 115 years, but I can tell by the people already in the room that we are here to stay for another couple generations," Marshall said.

During the event, attendees were able to submit their names to a raffle for the chance to win a $50 gift card to a local restaurant or a $25 gift card to a local business. Attendees also celebrated the anniversary with cake, wine, and a table full of hors d'oeuvres.

Andy Marshall, President and CEO, and his wife Denise Marshall get a photo taken at the FirstBank Southwest 115th anniversary celebration Tuesday on Georgia Street.
Andy Marshall, President and CEO, and his wife Denise Marshall get a photo taken at the FirstBank Southwest 115th anniversary celebration Tuesday on Georgia Street.

Will Miller, president of commercial and cooperate banking for FBSW, spoke about the company's emphasis on community and personal relations that has led to their longtime success.

"We believe, and I believe, that community banking is the backbone of most of our communities, and the ability for most of our banks to be involved with the people and stay in those communities, especially in the rural part of the state, is really important for  economic life and quality of life for everyone we serve," Miller said.

"For us, banking is changing with electronics and digital capabilities, but I believe that it is still important to go see people. Money is important, and being able to sit down with a real person that knows you and that you can know is what we offer here. Technology is cool and important, but people want to be able to sit down and speak with someone who lives here and works here, and that is important to us," Miller said.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: FirstBank Southwest celebrates 115 years at ribbon cutting ceremony