More Than a Bank: Investing in the Future of Texarkana
Written by: Michelle Horton
As students fill their backpacks with notebooks, pencils, and laptops for another school year, families are also preparing for one of the busiest financial seasons. Back-to-school shopping, extracurricular activities, technology purchases, and tuition expenses quickly add up, making financial planning just as important as checking off a school supply list.
For Farmers Bank & Trust, helping families navigate those moments extends far beyond processing transactions. The bank views itself as a long-term partner, equipping customers with the knowledge, tools, and personal relationships that help build financial confidence from childhood through retirement.
Founded in Magnolia, Arkansas, in 1906, Farmers Bank & Trust has spent nearly 120 years growing alongside the communities it serves. What began as a hometown bank with a simple mission to help neighbors find lifelong financial solutions has expanded into a privately held, fifth-generation, family-owned institution serving communities throughout Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. Since entering the Texarkana market in 2012, the bank has continued investing in the region while maintaining the local decision-making and personal service that define community banking.
James Bramlett, the Market President for Texarkana, says the bank’s mission has remained remarkably consistent despite decades of growth. “Our commitment remains the same as it was 120 years ago: to provide local decision-making, personal service, and long-term stability for the families and businesses we serve while heavily investing in our communities,” Bramlett says.
Today, Farmers Bank & Trust operates more than 30 locations and manages approximately $3.2 billion in assets. Even with those resources, the bank strives to preserve the hometown atmosphere many customers appreciate. “We combine the resources of a larger financial institution with the personalized service of a true community bank,” Bramlett says. “Our culture is built around our HEART values: Honor, Excellence, Adaptability, Respect, and Teamwork.”
Those values extend well beyond the walls of the bank. Community involvement has become one of the defining characteristics of Farmers Bank & Trust. During 2025 alone, employees contributed more than 5,200 volunteer hours while supporting 264 nonprofit organizations. Team members volunteer with schools, youth organizations, chambers of commerce, civic groups, and charitable organizations throughout the Texarkana area. “Supporting our communities has always been part of who we are,” Bramlett says. “We believe strong communities create strong futures, and we are proud to invest both financially and through volunteer service.”
Education does not end in the classroom, and neither does financial learning. Bramlett believes parents have an opportunity to begin teaching healthy financial habits long before children receive their first paycheck. “Parents can start by teaching the difference between needs and wants, setting savings goals, budgeting allowance money, and explaining how interest works,” Bramlett says. “Encouraging children to save a portion of every dollar they receive can help develop healthy habits early.”
Those lessons become even more valuable once teenagers enter the workforce. Opening a checking or savings account while still in high school gives young people practical experience managing money before larger financial responsibilities arrive. Learning how to budget, monitor spending, save toward goals, and use banking services responsibly establishes habits that often last well into adulthood.
Farmers Bank & Trust offers several products specifically designed for younger customers, including the MyStart Savings account for minors, Student Checking for customers ages 13 through 20, and the Foundation Credit Card for young adults beginning to establish credit. Each product is designed to provide real-world experience while encouraging responsible financial decision-making. Bramlett says one of the biggest mistakes teenagers make is spending every paycheck without setting aside money for future goals. “Creating a basic budget and regularly reviewing account activity can help avoid these pitfalls,” he says.
Those habits become even more important when students leave home for college. For many young adults, college marks the first time they are managing rent, groceries, transportation, textbooks, and entertainment on their own. Bramlett recommends choosing a checking account that includes online and mobile banking, direct deposit, mobile check deposit, debit card access, and account alerts. These digital tools allow students to monitor balances, deposit checks remotely, pay bills, and receive notifications that help prevent overdrafts or fraudulent activity.
Credit also becomes an important topic during college. Students frequently receive credit card offers shortly after arriving on campus. Bramlett encourages young adults to approach credit carefully and intentionally. “Building credit is a marathon, not a sprint,” Bramlett says. “Responsible habits today can create opportunities later when applying for auto loans, mortgages, or other financing.” Paying balances in full whenever possible, making payments on time each month, and avoiding unnecessary debt are all important steps toward building a strong credit history.
Budgeting remains another critical life skill. Rather than focusing solely on limiting spending, Bramlett encourages students to create realistic monthly spending plans, distinguish between needs and wants, take advantage of student discounts, and establish an emergency fund, even if it begins with only a small amount.
Technology has certainly changed the way customers interact with their bank, and Farmers Bank & Trust continues investing in services that make banking more convenient without sacrificing security. Customers have access to online banking, mobile banking, mobile deposit, bill pay, debit card management tools, account alerts, and other digital resources to manage their finances wherever life takes them. However, families of every age also face another growing concern: protecting their financial information. As online banking and digital payments become increasingly common, fraud and identity theft continue to evolve. Bramlett recommends using strong passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication whenever available, monitoring accounts regularly, and remaining cautious about sharing personal information online. “If something seems suspicious, contact your financial institution immediately, preferably by phone, and speak to a real, local person to verify the claims you have seen,” Bramlett says.
Financial education also remains a priority beyond individual customer relationships. Bramlett says the bank regularly partners with local schools and school districts to support educational initiatives while helping students and families gain confidence in making financial decisions. Those partnerships reinforce the bank’s belief that financial literacy is one of the most valuable investments a community can make in its future.
As young adults continue building their financial lives, Farmers Bank & Trust offers products designed to meet changing needs. Auto loans, savings accounts, checking accounts, starter credit products, and first-home mortgage programs often become important milestones as customers move through different stages of life.
For Bramlett, however, the most rewarding part of community banking has little to do with balances or interest rates. “Texarkana is a community built on relationships,” Bramlett says. “We enjoy getting to know our customers personally and helping them reach important milestones, whether that is buying a first vehicle, purchasing a home, starting a business, or preparing for retirement.”
Some of those relationships now span multiple generations and Bramlett believes that those long-term relationships are what community banking is all about.
As another school year begins, Bramlett offers advice that applies whether someone is opening a first savings account, sending a child to college, or managing a growing family budget. “Have a plan for your money before you spend it,” Bramlett says. “Whether you are a student, parent, or young professional, setting goals and following a budget can help reduce stress and put you on a path toward long-term financial success.”
In many ways, that simple principle reflects Farmers Bank & Trust itself. The bank continues to invest in the people, schools, businesses, and organizations that make Texarkana stronger, believing that when a community plans well for its future, everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
