FAB&T

Jacksonville, Sherwood, Cabot & Austin, AR

800-982-4511

www.fabandt.com

First Arkansas Bank & Trust Senior Vice President and COO Mark T. Wilson says his family-owned business carries on the legacy of his grandfather, Pat Wilson.

“We aren’t flashy and we aren’t trying to impress people with anything more than good, honest banking and a desire to help our communities grow,” Wilson says.

Wilson likes to tell people he has been in banking for 41 years — since birth. His father, Larry T. Wilson, is the president, chairman and CEO of the company.

“When I was a child, I loved running around town with my dad and my grandfather,” he says. “We tried to always do business with bank customers and there was such a great sense of mutual respect, from the hardware store to the florist to the shoe store. I’d always ask if people banked with us, and I always hoped they did.”

Wilson says the owner of another Arkansas family bank once told him the business of finance is just not as fun anymore.

“I don’t agree with that statement entirely, but it’s not as fun, nor as easy, as it used to be,” he says. “Federal regulations are there to make sure that banks don’t discriminate and that they support their local communities, and there’s a lot of value in that.”

Wilson says family-owned businesses build a foundation for strong communities.

“The decisions that we make as leaders of this company are based on what’s good for the company and the communities we serve for the long run,” he says.