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Happy State Bank Bank Happy about expansion By George
Schwarz The long-awaited new Bell Street branch of Happy State Bank and Trust Co. opened Monday, with the traditional ribbon-cutting.
But the new building, the design of which echoes that of the bank's main building on Soncy Road, wasn't the only big news from the bank's top official. J. Pat Hickman, the bank's chairman and chief executive officer, said at a VIP reception at the bank Sunday afternoon that on Friday the bank had closed a deal to open a new office in Borger. He repeated the news at Monday's ceremony. "We're already looking for real estate over there," he said Monday. The original location for the Bell Street branch was farther north on Bell in a small office park not as easily visible from the street as the new facility on the southeast corner of the intersection. "I think this is the second busiest intersection in the city and so we've had a lot of folks watching what's going on here," Hickman said. The branch was the bank's second in Amarillo, first headed by Kurt Gehring and now with Courtney Frazier as branch manager. The contractor was Hicks Bros. Construction, and the new office is the sixth facility Hicks has built for the bank. "We're already working on plans for our new office (facility) in Plainview," Hickman said. Chamber of Commerce President Gary Molberg said expansion of banking services is a sign of growth in the community. He thanked Hickman for his contributions to the community, especially United Way. Hickman said the bank embraces a Christian mission and when the bank has followed Christ's guidance the bank has prospered. E-mail
comments about this story Posted: January 10, 2008
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