Betty Dillard bdillard@bizpress.net
After a century, Community Bank Burleson is still doing business the old-fashioned way: providing personal service and loyalty and having people who understand the needs of local families and businesses make lending decisions. Community Bank opened its doors in Burleson as Farmers and Merchants Bank on Nov. 22, 1913, with 35 stockholders and a capital structure of $10,000.
“In opening our institution we offer our friends the best service possible to render within the realm of conservative banking principles,” those first shareholders stated. “Every share of capital stock is owned by your neighbors.”
Still an independently owned bank, Community Bank merged with Farmers and Merchants Bank in 1995 and has continued to grow. The bank’s current building at 201 W. Ellison St. underwent a $1.8 million renovation in 2011 to bring it into the 21st century. By continuing to focus on serving the people in its community, the bank operates 10 branches within eight North Texas communities – Acton, Burleson, Cleburne, Fort Worth, Granbury, Hurst, Rockwall and Rowlett – with assets exceeding $560 million and capital of more than $58 million.
“Community Bank has always been about people – our customers, our employees and all the people of Burleson. That’s been true since 1913 as F and M to now as Community Bank,” said bank President Tim Southerland. To commemorate its 100th anniversary, the bank is celebrating the community’s people, businesses and organizations in a series of events that will culminate with 100th anniversary open house on Nov. 22 at 11 a.m. The celebration includes honoring six local nonprofits selected by Community Bank’s 143 employees. Each week, beginning Oct. 15, the bank is accepting contributions to a different nonprofit and will match the donations for each charity, up to $1,000. The bank kicked off its birthday bash with a pie bake-off on Oct. 11 in conjunction with Burleson Founder’s Day. Charities honored during the first three weeks were Burleson Heritage Foundation, Heart for the Kids and Harvest House. Community Bank will salute Meals on Wheels Johnson County on Nov. 4-8, the Careity Breast Care Center on Nov. 12-15 and Burleson Opportunity Fund on Nov. 18-22.
During the open house, Burleson Mayor Ken Shetter will present a proclamation honoring Community Bank, memorabilia collected over the past 100 years will be on display, and Southerland will present donation checks to the six charities. “We want to honor and celebrate our bank’s long history and the best way to do that is to focus on the people,” Southerland said. “Back in 1913, when Farmers and Merchants Bank opened their doors, they were focused on building the community. I’m proud to say 100 years later our focus is still the same.”