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Gilmer National Bank to establish branch in Judson

By Phillip Williams

Gilmer National Bank president Paul Wilson told the annual stockholders meeting recently that the bank has applied to establish its first-ever branch in the Judson community north of Longview.

The facility, which the bank would lease at the intersection of FM 1844 and Judson Road across from Judson Middle School, is under construction and will probably open early next year, said Wilson.

He also announced the bank earned $2.6 million last year, which he said he believed was a record high for the institution.

Edwin P. (Pete) Herrmann, chairman of the bank’s board, said the proposed new branch is in an area “not served by any other bank that’s really close,” and Wilson added that GNB officials felt the area was “untapped.”

With the school nearby, many bank customers would like the convenience of a drive-through window, and businesses in the area have good clientele, Herrmann said.

Wilson said a friend of his who owns property in the vicinity proposed putting the branch there. The new GNB president also said the branch will probably have four employees, including a loan officer, and “we will make sure it goes well.”

At the outset of the meeting, which was chaired by Herrmann’s sister Patricia Stracner with Donna Varner as meeting secretary and Felecix Hux as assistant secretary, Herrmann told the stockholders, “Overall today, I thnk we’ve got a good report for you.” He added he was “proud of the entire bank.”

In other business at the meeting, stockholders re-elected the 11 current members of the board of directors, which include four past GNB presidents–Gary Patterson, Kenneth Stewart, Larry Cowan and the recently-retired Randy Duke. 

Others are Herrmann, Roy Harris, Steve Stewart, Steve Sansom, Wilson, John Dean and David Griffith.

Full Disclosure: This article’s author owns stock in Gilmer National Bank.

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