Amarillo National Bank facts for kids
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The Amarillo National Bank Plaza One building in downtown Amarillo
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| Private | |
| Industry | Finance |
| Founded | Amarillo, Texas, 1892 |
| Headquarters | Amarillo, Texas |
| Products | Financial services |
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Number of employees
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695 |
Amarillo National Bank (ANB) is a private bank that helps people and businesses with their money. It offers services like commercial banking (for businesses) and personal banking (for individuals). The bank is based in Amarillo, Texas.
In 2019, ANB grew bigger by buying Lubbock National Bank. This helped ANB open more locations beyond the Texas Panhandle and into other parts of Texas. Today, ANB has 19 branches in and around Amarillo, Borger, and Canyon. It also has six branches in Lubbock under the name Lubbock National Bank. Plus, it has seven locations in Bryan, College Station, Fort Worth, and two suburbs of Austin as Commerce National Bank.
ANB also has 116 local automatic teller machines (ATMs) where people can get cash or check their accounts. By the end of 2019, the bank had more than $5.7 billion in assets, which means it managed a lot of money. In August 2016, ANB had 695 employees.
The bank started in 1892. The Ware family has owned it since 1909. ANB is known for being the largest bank in the United States that is 100% owned by one family. In 1999, Texas Monthly magazine even called the Wares the "bankers of the century."
ANB's main offices are in two tall buildings in downtown Amarillo. The Amarillo National Bank Plaza One building has 16 stories and opened in 1971. The Amarillo National Bank Plaza Two building has 12 stories and was finished in 1984.
ANB has a history of being innovative. In 1950, it opened Texas' first drive-up bank window. In 1978, it introduced the first ATM in Texas, located in its downtown lobby. That same year, the bank started building what was then the biggest drive-up banking center in the United States.
As of 2019, Amarillo National Bank was one of the top farm lenders in the country. About 15% of its loans went to agriculture. It is also the biggest lender for home mortgages in the Texas Panhandle. Plus, it's the largest independent lender for cattle in Texas.
ANB gives more than $2 million every year to local charities. During the holidays, each employee can choose a charity to receive a $100 check from the bank. ANB also helps Texans learn about money through its ANB Smart program. It takes part in national campaigns like "Teach Children to Save" and "Get Smart About Credit" from the American Bankers Association.
Amarillo National Bank also owns the naming rights to the Amarillo National Center. This is a large arena with 10,000 seats that was built in 2000.
How Amarillo National Bank Started
The bank began in 1892 as First National Bank of Amarillo. It was located at 4th Avenue and Polk Street. Benjamin Taliaferro (B.T.) Ware, an early settler and cattleman, became the vice president in 1895. He later moved away but returned in 1900 and bought the bank.
In 1906, B.T. Ware sold his shares and started a new bank called Western Bank and Trust Company. But in 1909, he bought the Amarillo bank back and combined it with Western Bank and Trust. This is how Amarillo National Bank was formed. The Ware family has owned and run the bank ever since.
In 1986, ANB bought Borger's Bank in Borger, Texas. More recently, in October 2018, ANB announced plans to buy Lubbock National Bank and Commerce National Bank. These deals were completed in March 2019.
The Ware Family: Bank Owners
The current owners of Amarillo National Bank are from the fourth and fifth generations of the Ware family. In 2017, Richard Ware II, who is the bank's chairman, was named "Banker of the Year" by the newspaper American Banker.
In 2018, ANB announced that two of Richard Ware's triplet sons would take over leading the bank. Richard Ware is still the chairman. Patrick Ware is now the vice chairman, and William Ware is the president of ANB. Both Patrick and William were first elected to the bank's board of directors in 2008. Other members of the Ware family also hold important positions at the bank.
See Also
