Independent Banker - February 2022 - 48

structures that included two houses
and multiple barns, which doesn't fit
the criteria for an acceptable loan at
many banks.
" As long as the land value is there
and the property value is there,
we'd gladly try to do stuff like that, "
says Finley, who is also president of
another bank owned by the same
family, $91 million-asset Bandera
" There's really not a lot we can't do, "
says Travis Edlund, senior vice president
and regional manager of the San
Antonio market for Amarillo National
Bank. The bank is headquartered in
Amarillo but will open its first fullservice
branch in San Antonio this year.
on subsequently launching a fullservice
branch.
Since opening the loan production
office, the community bank has booked
about $105 million more in loans.
ANB does " traditional lending
in every aspect, " Edlund says, but
commercial loans make up the
majority of its loan portfolio. These
include family-owned businesses,
community businesses and operating
companies. " Anybody that has
accounts receivable, inventory,
equipment and employees, and acts
as an operating business is our core
business, " he says.
Edlund adds that ANB also
does working capital lending,
energy lending and real estate and
development lending. Consumer
mortgage and installment lending are
in the mix as well.
" There's really not a lot we can't
do, " Edlund says. " We have the ability
to make sure we take our time with
everybody we do business with. "
ANB is currently managed by two
great-great-grandsons of its founder,
giving them insight into what it means
to be family-owned.
" I'd say for community banks in
general, one of the advantages we
give family-owned businesses is
that we've been there, " says Edlund.
" We've experienced the transition of
some of the exit planning, and we're
happy to be a trusted advisor that has
a different perspective, because we've
gone through it. "
Capitalizing on an area's
growing popularity
The hot real estate market of the
past two years in the San Antonio
and Austin areas has been a boon for
$152 million-asset Johnson City Bank
in Johnson City, Texas. Real estate
loans make up the biggest portion of
its portfolio by far, and that portfolio
grew 12% to 15% in 2021, according
to the community bank's president,
Ken Finley.
Both Johnson City Bank and its
single location in the Texas Hill
Country town were named after
President Lyndon Johnson, whose
family helped develop the area.
" We do a lot of one-to-four family
lending, and then a lot of other real
estate loans some of the bigger banks
or mortgage companies won't handle, "
Finley says. For example, a customer
recently approached him about
financing a property with multiple
Bank in nearby Bandera, Texas.
" There's nothing wrong with a fiveacre
tract of land that has multiple
buildings on it. "
Johnson City Bank has also been
doing a lot of construction loans
lately, according to Finley, as well as
some spec lending. In addition, it has
some commercial real estate business.
Though borrowers in the counties
it serves have plenty of potential
lenders, Finley says the community
bank's customer service helps it win
clients and referrals. " We keep the
loans we make, so if there's ever an
issue the customer has, they can
walk in the door and take care of the
issue, " he says. " They don't have to
worry about doing it over the phone
and talking to someone out of state or
even out of the country. " He adds that
the bank also offers prompt responses
to loan requests.
This kind of personal touch and
respect for the customer is not new
for the bank. Back in 1970, when vice
president and cashier Brenda Haynes
was a new employee filing checks,
Johnson City Bank was the hometown
institution people chose to work with
because they wanted to feel known by
their bank, she says. Today the bank
still delivers on that desire.
" After about the first two times
[customers] come through the door,
we know them by their first name
and joke with them and visit with
them, " Haynes says. " You don't find
that everywhere. We take time for
our customers. "
Small businesses are the backbone
of Texas First Bank, a $2 billion-asset
48 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q February 2022
Independent Banker - February 2022

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