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University before opening her own public relations firm, Oddly Natural. His younger daughter, Symantha, started her career as a server and is working her way up in the family business. Riley’s daughter, Amy, has worked at all of Riley’s restaurants. Now she and her husband, Dr. Jaime Gomez, are back in Abilene from Dallas. She loves eating at her mom’s restaurants and says, “The old days were tough growing up in the restaurant business...but worth it. I’m happy mom doesn’t have to work the long hours like she did when we were growing up.” When it is all said and done, Scott knows what his mother’s legacy will be in Abilene. Besides “Queen Bee” and Above: Sharon Riley. COURTESY OF STEVE BUTMAN PHOTOGRAPHY. Right: Sharon Riley proudly shows off samples of her delicious plates. “Abilene’s Energizer Bunny,” Sharon Riley will leave a legacy of being one of Abilene’s all-time favorite restaurateurs. Her name is magic in Abilene. See it on the invitation as “caterer,” and a crowd is guaranteed. But that success did not happen magically. Her legacy will include the vision, desire, confidence, and nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic to pull it all together. Abilenians know that and appreciate it. “Everybody saw her in that restaurant every day,” Scott said. “I know what she put into it—I was there.” In her own words, Riley says, “The restaurant business is a wonderful, rewarding business, but people have to be prepared to pay their dues...hard work and long hours. And then, if you’re lucky and blessed as I am to have a great staff, you can take a little time off...but not much!” That little bit of time off usually is spent with family, cooking, reading, dancing and traveling with husband, Tom, in their motorhome. Nowadays, thanks to Scott being in charge and a reliable staff, Riley does not have to worry about taking a little time off. Another part of Riley’s legacy will be the loyalty of her family and crew, or as Scott puts it, “We all have each other’s back.” ABILENE, TEXAS: HEART OF THE BIG COUNTRY 166
A colorful history, a remarkable present, and a bright future all are hallmarks of Abilene’s third oldest business, First Financial Bank, N.A. The bank opened as Farmers & Merchants National Bank on January 2, 1890, in a small frame building on South First Street that was the former home of the Green Front Saloon. When the bank opened, the city of Abilene was home to 3,000 settlers with a pioneering spirit. By the end of the year, many of them had become customers of the new bank, depositing $33,000, a tidy sum in those days. That number has grown significantly since then, but the core values of the bank remain the same. “While our long legacy always remains the backbone of who we are, we continue to be excited about our future,” said Chairman, President and CEO of First Financial Bankshares, Scott Dueser. In January 2018, exactly 128 years after opening, First Financial Bankshares acquired Commercial Bankshares Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Commercial State Bank of Kingwood. With the acquisition of this bank, which is located just outside Houston, First Financial Bankshares now has seventy-two locations from the Panhandle to southeast Texas. The company is the only publicly traded company headquartered in Abilene. It is listed on NASDAQ as FFIN. “With total assets of over $7.6 billion, First Financial Bankshares is optimistic about additional opportunities for continued growth,” Dueser said. Although the bank has endured several economic downturns during its 128-year existence, it has never reported a loss. The company is very focused on providing a good return for its stockholders, but First Financial Bankshares is not all about the numbers. It is about people, from valued customers and investors to the more than 600 employees in Abilene and another 750 plus employees scattered across Texas. “Our primary focus will always be to put the customer first,” Dueser said. First Financial’s “Customer Service First” attitude also extends to its action in the communities that it serves. As an example of their commitment to community involvement, First Financial has dedicated Columbus Day, which is traditionally a bank holiday as a “Day of Service” for employees. In October 2017, more than 250 Abilene employees spread out over the city to do volunteer work. They were joined by First Financial Bank employees in other Texas cities where the bank operates. In all, about 750 bank volunteers were doing good deeds statewide on Columbus Day. “Everything we do is centered in providing the very best service to our customers and contributing financial resources and volunteers to each of the communities we serve,” Dueser said. Left: Original location of Farmers & Merchants National Bank. Below: 400 Pine Street, 1984-Present. FIRST FINANCIAL BANK, N.A. THE MARKETPLACE 167
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ABILENE, TEXAS Heart of the Big Cou
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ABILENE, TEXAS Heart of the Big Cou
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CONTENTS Legacy Sponsors...........
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INTRODUCTION ABILENE, TEXAS: Heart
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“We have a can-do attitude. If it
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CHAPTER ONE 9
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CHAPTER ONE 11
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The 12th Armored Division Memorial
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CHAPTER ONE 15
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CHAPTER ONE 17
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Jean Prescott and Jeff Gore. CHAPTE
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CHAPTER ONE 21
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Frontier Texas! CHAPTER ONE 23
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The restoration of the Paramount pr
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CHAPTER ONE 27
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Close your eyes and imagine giganti
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Economic leaders are on top of idea
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Opposite: The TSTC training facilit
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Above: Agriculture is a stalwart of
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A forest of wind turbines. Green en
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ABILENE, TEXAS: HEART OF THE BIG CO
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CHAPTER THREE PLACES ABILENE, TEXAS
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Right: The old Weather Bureau Build
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The Abilene Zoo. Just across Highwa
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Right: Abilene Public Library Oppos
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This page: Lake Kirby. Opposite: Ly
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The Abilene Eagle’s Nest stonewor
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Above: The Caldwell Fine Arts Build
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The Grace Museum. ABILENE, TEXAS: H
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The largest velvet painting in the
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Opposite: Fourth of July concert by
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Opposite: The Mill Wine Bar & Event
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CHAPTER THREE 73
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Opposite: Veterans Cemetery. Above:
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Opposite: City hall in Rising Star,
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Opposite: Sinclair Station in Alban
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Style? Oh, yeah. We’ve got that.
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CHAPTER FOUR 83
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CHAPTER FOUR 85
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CHAPTER FOUR 87
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CHAPTER FOUR 89
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If your lifestyle is defined by spo
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A Wylie High School football game.
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CHAPTER FOUR 95
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CHAPTER FOUR 97
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CHAPTER FOUR 99
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CHAPTER FOUR 101
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Opposite: September Tripod by David
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Heritage, economy, style, places—
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The Buffalo Gap Wine & Food Summit.
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Opposite: Abilene artist Chuck Roac
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CHAPTER FIVE 111
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Opposite: Polo on the Prairie, a M.
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Page 120 and 121: ABILENE, TEXAS: HEART OF THE BIG CO
Page 122: ABILENE, TEXAS: HEART OF THE BIG CO
Page 125 and 126: The Abilene ISD Revolution Strings.
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Page 129 and 130: BIG COUNTRY PARTNERS Profiles of bu
Page 131 and 132: QUALITY OF LIFE Healthcare provider
Page 133 and 134: Much of the ministering done by Lov
Page 135 and 136: cheap wine from a convenience store
Page 137 and 138: Superintendent Chatfield might not
Page 139 and 140: a stable environment, so that the c
Page 141 and 142: management, having learned from the
Page 143 and 144: first building, Old Main, was compl
Page 145 and 146: Top, left: African Lions are one of
Page 147 and 148: In 1990, voters created the Balling
Page 149 and 150: Association that bears his name, th
Page 151 and 152: days. Everman Park on the south end
Page 153 and 154: All that gleaming new glass and ste
Page 155 and 156: THE MARKETPLACE Abilene’s retail
Page 157 and 158: y Chevrolet, which offered him deal
Page 159 and 160: up with “The Right Choice” slog
Page 161 and 162: economic development, it is very li
Page 163 and 164: tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucu
Page 165 and 166: sales. David, the youngest, attende
Page 167: Lytle Land & Cattle Company is know
Page 171 and 172: sanitation safeguards AbiMar Foods
Page 173 and 174: locations as these upgrades have cr
Page 175 and 176: Since 1989, Lawrence Hall Abilene h
Page 177 and 178: McMahon Surovik Suttle, P.C., is on
Page 179 and 180: Located in a historic building, DAT
Page 181 and 182: The aftermath of a fire or flood ca
Page 183 and 184: From humble beginnings as the Hendr
Page 185 and 186: Since its origins in 1973, as a sma
Page 187 and 188: Deer on the bank of the Brazos Rive
Page 189 and 190: Building a Greater Abilene Abilene
Page 191 and 192: lookout for quality employees, and
Page 193 and 194: locations include the Holiday Inn E
Page 195 and 196: Inside those facilities, skilled wo
Page 197 and 198: award, given by the Abilene Chamber
Page 199 and 200: whom we can create enduring relatio
Page 201 and 202: selling houses. As it turned out, t
Page 203 and 204: the growth and progress of these re
Page 205 and 206: Atmos Energy is committed to being
Page 207 and 208: New products, new rules and regulat
Page 209 and 210: CommunityResourseDirectory LiveLoca
Page 211 and 212: Accounting 1 5 Electricians 9 2 6 1
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COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY 217
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About the Photographer Steve Butman
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ISBN: 978-1-944891-63-3 LEADERSHIP
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