Pub. 12 2015 Issue 3

O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G N E W M E X I C O R E A L I Z E D R E A M S 26 BANK NEWS Heartland Financial USA and Community Bancorp Merged Heartland Financial USA Inc., Dubique, IA, has announced the completion of its acquisition of Community Bancorpo- ration of New Mexico Inc,, parent company of Community Bank in Santa Fe. At the close of business on August 21, Community Bancorporation was merged into Heartland, and Community Bank was merged into New Mexico Bank & Trust, Heartland’s NM bank subsidiary. As of June 30, 2015, Community Bank had assets of ap- proximately $175 million, including $109 million of loans outstanding, and $146 million of deposits. New Mexico Bank & Trust had assets of approximately $1.1 billion, in- cluding loans of $659 million, and deposits of $891 million. Following the consolidation of two Community Bank bank- ing centers, the merger expands the number of New Mexico Bank & Trust locations from 14 to 17 and adds the commu- nities of Espanola, Los Alamos, and Tierra Amarilla in north central NM to the bank’s service area.  First National Rio Grande Opens New Branch Michelle Coons, President, First National Rio Grande, an- nounced that the bank has opened on October 5 a new ABQ Uptown branch at 2200 Louisiana Blvd, NE, in the Uptown Mall. The new branch will feature cutting-edge technology, which will give customers the ability to complete transactions using new interactive teller machines. The bank’s America’s Parkway branch closed on October 2 and all accounts main- tained at the branch have been transferred to the new ABQ Uptown branch.  Bill Elder Passes Away Robert William “Bill” Elder, 83, passed away on Tuesday, August 4, 2015. A native of Albuquerque, Bill graduated from Albuquerque High School in 1949, and received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from University of New Mexico. During the Korean conflict, he proudly served as a lieutenant in the Air Force. Bill worked at Albuquerque Na- tional Bank, later renamed Sunwest Bank, for over 40 years before retiring in 1992 as Vice Chairman of the Board and Chief Administrative Officer. Committed to physical fitness, Bill exercised at the YMCA regularly and served on their board of directors for many years. Bill wa a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather, and he leaves his family a legacy of integrity, service, and humility.  WSSB Tucumcari Banker Mackey, Albuquerque Banker Kelsey Receive Top Honors The Western States School of Banking (WSSB) announced recent award honorees and graduates from the 2015 Summer Session (41st year) on the campus of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. Corby Mackey, senior vice president at the FNB New Mex- ico in Tucumcari, was the recipient of two distinguished awards. He first received the “Gayle Earls Academic Achieve- ment Award,” which included a cash award of $500 from the Independent Community Bankers Association of New Mexi- co and a certificate for academic achievement. Mackey was also chosen by his classmates to receive the “Alumni Leadership Award.” The award is presented an- nually to a graduating senior following a nomination and selection process by the class. In addition to a certificate, a cash award of $250 is contributed by the WSSB Alumni Committee. Doreen Kelsey, vice president and branch manager at US Bank in Albuquerque, took the top academic honors. Kelsey received the Henry Jaramillo Award for Academic Excel- lence, which was established by Henry Jaramillo, a longtime NM banker and one of the founders of the banking school. A cash award of $500 is provided. As the top academic stu- dent, Kelsey will also be provided a $1,250 per-year scholar- ship at the Graduate School of Banking in Boulder, CO. In addition to Mackey and Kelsey, the following gradu- ated: Susen Disenso, James Polk Stone Community Bank, Hobbs; Megan Gallegos, First American Bank, Hobbs; Josh Grassham, Lee County State Bank, Hobbs; Matthew Hous- ton, First National Bank, Rio Grande, Albuquerque; Ron Jackson, James Polk Stone Community Bank, Portales; Farrah Marquez, First American Bank, Artesia; Christopher Moya, NM Financial Institutions Division, Santa Fe; Ernesto Ortiz, Los Alamos National Bank, Albuquerque; Aaron Pena, First American Bank, Silver City; Sheilah Ramone, Bank of the Southwest, Farmington; Adam Stramel, Century Bank, Santa Fe; and Marshal Villalobos, MyBank, Los Lunas.  Albuquerque’s Uptown Becoming Banking Center Albuquerque’s Uptown area is becoming one of the city’s banking center with no less than seven major financial in- stitutions in the area around Coronado Mall. Main Bank is constructing its new headquarters at 7300 Menaul Blvd. NE, next door to U.S. Eagle Federal Credit Union. First National Rio Grande moved into a new space in October. Other bank- ing institutions in the area include Peoples Bank, Nusenda Credit Union, BBVA Compass, and Bank of Albuquerque.   BANK NEWS  continued from page 25