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Page 2 • Citizens Bank: A century of local banking
Residents gather outside Citizens Bank in an In the early days, spittoons were early photo at its original location. commonplace in the bank lobby.
An early look at the bank when it was located at Main Street and Grand Avenue.
The Citizens Bank of Clovis just marked 100 years in business.
I
Citizens Bank: A century of local banking • Page 3
ncorporated on Jan. 7, 1916, with capital stock of
of the assets of the First
$25,000, The Citizens Bank of Clovis has become
National Bank of Clovis
the largest independent financial institution in
for $15,000 and moved
East-Central New Mexico with assets in excess of $356
into the building on the
million. With capital in excess of $35 million, it is one
corner of Grand Avenue
of the best capitalized banks in the state.
and Main Street, where it
remained until 1967.
The bank’s first president was George W. Single-
ton, with S.A. Jones serving as cashier and supervisor
of daily operations. Charles E. Dennis followed as pres-
Citizens Bank of Clo-
Officers of The
ident before Jones later
vis made their mark
took over the role.
in local business and
Clovis had become a
political circles. Jones was a state senator from 1929
trade center for the re-
until his death in 1940. Skarda succeeded Jones as
gion’s ranchers and farm-
bank president. A.W., as he was affectionately known,
ers and was a division
came to eastern New Mexico as a homesteader, having
point on the Santa Fe
been reared on a farm and attended business school.
Railroad, which was the
He started banking as a bookkeeper for the old First
A.W. Skarda in his top hat
region’s largest commercial employer.
National Bank of Clovis. He served as Democratic Na-
tional Committeeman for New Mexico from 1944-1952
On Feb. 19, 1920, a group headed by S.J. Boykin
and A.W. Skarda organized the Farmers State Bank of
– the same period
Clovis. Skarda had been an employee of the First Na-
that Senator Carl A.
tional Bank of Clovis, but had left that bank because of
Hatch, the bank’s at-
his concern about its lending policies.
torney and author of
the famous Hatch Act,
The First National Bank went into receivership
during the depression of 1922. In 1924, The Citizens
was in office.
Bank of Clovis and Farmers State Bank merged, with
In 1960, three
Jones becoming president and Skarda serving as cashier.
Skarda sons sold
At the time, cashiers served a role to what we now call
their 2,500-acre farm in North Curry County and bought
chief executive officers in country banks.
stock in the bank making it a Skarda family-controlled
institution — remaining that way to this day.
At the same time, Jones and Skarda purchased all
Page 4 • Citizens Bank: A century of local banking
A.W. Skarda’s three sons were all born in Clovis.
Law in 1941. There,
By age, they were: Langdon L. Skarda, Lynell G. Skara
he was on the Law
and Cash Skarda.
Review and clerked for Judge Sam G. Bratton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit for a year. He later entered the military as part of the Air Corps and served as a Base
Lynell G. Skarda
Legal Officer and in the Judge Advocate General Corps until 1946. He was the District Attorney and practiced law in Clovis from 1946 until Sept. 2, 2012. He became Carolyn A. and Langdon L. Skarda
a director at the bank in 1959 and served as its chairman
director and chairman in the bank’s history.
Langdon L. Skarda was a graduate of
from 1968-2012. As such, he was the longest serving
Washington & Lee University School of Law with an
L.L.B. He practiced law for several years before becom-
co Military Institute in Roswell, and while attending
ing an intelligence office in the Air Corps, serving in
Washington & Lee University School of Law, returned
Great Britain and France. Langdon was a director at the
to Clovis with what became the 200th Coast Artillery
bank from 1966 until his death on March 8, 1994. He
that was sent to the Philippines. He became a prisoner
farmed and ranched, devoting most weekends to becom-
of the Japanese for five years, returning to later get an
ing a well-respected, all-breed dog show judge. Lang-
L.L.B. degree from Washington & Lee. Cash worked
don’s wife, Carolyn A. Skarda, earned a B.A. degree
in the bank as a loan officer until his brother, Lynell,
from Randolph-Macon Women’s College and succeeded
bought his stock in 1966. Cash then became Chairman
him as a director upon his death.
of the Board of the American Bank of Silver City until
his death on Jan. 26, 1991.
Lynell G. Skarda earned a B.S. degree from the
Cash T. Skarda graduated from the New Mexi-
College of Chemistry at the University of California
A.W. Skarda died on Dec. 13, 1967, ending 55
and a J.D. from Washington & Lee University School of
years in banking just four days after the bank opened
Citizens Bank: A century of local banking • Page 5
its new round building at 5th and Pile streets. During
Kent Car-
his presidency, branches were established in Fort Sumer
ruthers succeeded
and Texico.
Willmon as bank
president in 1986 and continues to serve in that capacity today. He was born Jan. 1, 1949, in Holyoke, Colorado. He proKent Carruthers
gressed through the University of
Colorado’s system, earning a B.S. degree in business administration. He took part in a work-study program
T.E. Willmon Jr. succeeded A.W. Skarda as presi-
with the office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Car-
dent of the bank on Dec. 18, 1967. Willmon was born in
ruthers also had an apprenticeship as a funeral director
Clovis and went to work for the bank as a bookkeeper
and embalmer. He worked as a bank examiner for the
on March 6, 1941. He served as a vice president until
comptroller from 1972-77, becoming a commissioned
becoming president in ’67. Besides being acknowledged
examiner. Thereafter, he worked as a loan officer with
as one of New Mexico’s outstanding bank presidents, he
the First National Bank of Albuquerque, the American
was an authority on the state’s history. He even won the
Bank of Commerce in Albuquerque and was president
New Mexico checkers championship in 1947. He was
of Moncor Bank N.A. in Carlsbad. His next move was
responsible for the bank being the first in New Mexico
to Curry County in 1986 when he became president of
to have credit cards — the BankAmericard — that was
The Citizens Bank of Clovis. He is responsible for the
the predecessor to the Visa card. That was authorized in
organization of the Independent Community Bankers
May 1968 under the guidance of the Colorado National
Association of New Mexico. Additionally, he serves on
Bank in Denver.
the bank’s board of directors and sits on the board of
The Independent BankersBank (TIB) in Dallas.
He also served on the committee that revised the
New Mexico Bank Code in 1975. Willmon retired in
Carruthers has been chairman and director of the
1985 — despite many protests.
Economic Development Committee of the Clovis/Curry
Page 6 • Citizens Bank: A century of local banking
Construction in the mid-1960s show the shell of the bank.
Construction of the bank’s current location shows the circular architecture at an early stage.
County Chamber of Commerce, and still remains an
degree. He is an active private attorney specializing
ident of the Clovis Industrial Development Corpora-
late Law. He has been a director of the bank since
active member. He is also a director and a past prestion, in which The Citizens Bank of Clovis was an original contributing member.
The Citizens Bank of Clovis has been closely
held since the merger in 1924. From 1947-68, it had only four directors. From 1968 until today, there
have only been three directors. Currently, these directors are Jeffrey J. Skarda, J.T. Skarda, and Carruthers.
Jeffrey J. Skarda,
the oldest son of Lynell G. Skarda, graduated
from Washington & Lee University School of
Law with a B.A. degree
and from Columbia University School of Law Jeff Skarda
with a Juris Doctorate
in welfare law and is board certified in Civil Appel2012.
J.T. Skarda, son of Langdon and Carolyn Skar-
da, is a graduate of New Mexico State University with a degree in Animal Science. J.T. served in the U.S.
Army from 1968 to 1971, serving one year in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot. After completing graduate work in Business Administration at Texas Tech University, J.T. went to work for the Federal Aviation Administration. He retired in 1995 after 22 years of
service with the FAA and is currently a consultant for them. He has been a
director at the bank since
2009 and chairman of the board since 2012.
J.T. Skarda
Citizens Bank: A century of local banking • Page 7
The original circular design of The Citizen's Bank of Clovis' lobby (above photo) featured a fountain when when it opened in December 1967. The bank's latest redesign, which was unveiled at the end of last year, now showcases multiple teller locations (left photo) for customers to complete their transactions in the center of the bank's hub of activity.
Page 8 • Citizens Bank: A century of local banking
A branch of The Citizens Bank of Clovis sits at Main Street and Commerce Way.
A branch of The Citizens Bank of Clovis sits at 21st & Prince St.
Find us all across eastern New Mexico
T
he Citizens Bank of Clovis has
full-service branches in Fort Sumner and
1956. The bank currently has 61 employees.
Texico, a loan production office in Ruidoso
A trust department has been in operation since
The directors, officers and staff thank you for the
and two drive-up facilities that are equipped with
trust you have placed in us for generations as we
ATMs in Clovis.
continually strive to be the “Best Bank Around.”
The Citizens Bank of Clovis also has a branch in Fort Sumner.
The Citizens Bank of Clovis features a branch in Texico.