Sample book with community resources insert

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