The Cecil family is celebrating a centennial milestone, marking the 100th year of their leadership and family legacy at Liberty National Bank.
In 1925, Jim Cecil, a prominent banker from Valliant, Oklahoma packed up his family and moved south to Paris, Texas at the urging of his physician, Dr. L P McCuistion. Dr. McCuistion’s brother, Ed McCuistion, was the president of the newly formed Liberty National Bank of Paris, and needed help after the bank’s predecessor, City National, failed due to the cotton market collapse. Jim had previously worked at Farmers State Guaranty Bank in Valliant as a banker during the early 1920’s. He was known for his banking experience and knowledge. There was no doubt that he could help lead the bank. However, difficult times continued in the Paris area and the Liberty National Bank of Paris failed due to the Great Depression and poor economic conditions.
A simple change from the word “of” to “in”, and the bank was re-capitalized in April of 1931 as the Liberty National Bank in Paris. The newly organized bank was led by Ed McCuistion as president up to his retirement in 1941, where he was succeeded by Jim Cecil. Jim served in that role until his death in 1953.
His son, Gilbert Cecil, had previously served as vice president and cashier, succeeded him as bank president. After high school, Gilbert attended college in Arkansas and graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. His degree led him to working at Texas Power and Light. He later joined his father as a second-generation Cecil banker. Gilbert led the bank as president until 1975.
In 1975, Gilbert’s son, Philip Cecil, a third-generation banker, took over the reins as president. Philip began his banking career in high school, working at the bank during the summer months. After graduating from Paris High School he attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he graduated with a BBA. In June 1958, he entered the Navy and served for two years. After completing his military service, he continued his banking career at First National Bank in Dallas. In 1963, Philip moved back to Paris and joined the bank as vice president. He later became bank president and Chairman of the Board. He served as president until 2002, when his son Carl was named bank president. Philip was the longest standing president of Liberty National Bank with his banking career spanning over 57-years. He left a legacy of being a community leader, an influence in the banking industry and being known for his honesty and integrity.
Carl began his banking career in downtown Dallas at MBank, successor to the old Mercantile Bank of Dallas. His initial role was a credit analyst, and he was later promoted to assistant vice president in the correspondent banking department. In 1990, he joined Liberty as a loan officer and vice president. In 2002, he was announced as the fourth-generation Cecil bank president. Before his start at Liberty, Carl had graduated from Paris High School. He then attended the University of Texas-Austin. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in finance and later graduated from the American Banker’s
Association National Commercial Lending School and the 21st Century Banking Program offered by the University of Texas-Austin’s Graduate School of Business. After the death of his father in 2020, Carl took on the role as Chairman of the Board and continues to hold that role to this day.
In 2023, Bill Coleman was appointed bank president, the first non-family member to serve that role since 1941 – 82 years. Coleman brought years of banking knowledge and expertise along with him in his new role. “It has been an honor and privilege to have worked with the Cecil family for the past 27 years. Before I was an employee of Liberty National Bank, it was the place where I opened my first checking account. The Cecil family, and their legacy of banking in the Paris area, is one of commitment to community service, their customers, and integrity. It is difficult too fully identify the Cecil family’s role in fostering economic growth in our community for the past 100 years. Their dedication to the local banking industry has impacted the financial success of many residents and small businesses over this long span of service. In addition to this, the family has established a reputation for reinvesting back into our community through its various charitable gifts and giving. Words cannot properly describe Philip and Carl’s influence and contribution to my professional career, but the most important blessing was/is being able to call them a friend. With the recent addition of Dillon to our banking team, I look forward to seeing many more contributions to the local banking industry from the Cecil family.”
In the summer of 2023, Dillon Cecil, a fifth-generation banker joined Liberty as an executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer. Dillon is a graduate of Paris High School. After high school he attended the University of Texas – Austin – Red McCombs School of Business and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration with his studies focused on financial markets and banking. He also attended Texas Tech School of Banking, IBAT Bank Lending Institute and SMU Southwestern Graduate School of Banking where he graduated with special distinction in leadership and placed first in the graduating class in the bank performance simulation. Cecil started his banking career at TIB, NA in 2014 as a credit analyst/lending officer. He was later promoted in 2020 as a senior vice president. “I am proud to be a very small part of the 100 years of the Cecil Family at Liberty National Bank. It is a blessing to have our family serve this community for a century. We would not have made it this far without our loyal customers. I look forward to working with Bill and Chase Coleman and the rest of the Liberty team to continue the legacy of service at the bank.”
The bank’s Charter dated April 17, 1931, is still active today. Fortunately, economic conditions stabilized as the local economy transitioned out of a cotton dependent situation, setting the stage for the continued success of the bank and the association of the Cecil family over five generations.
“The greatest joy of my professional career has been working for the Cecil family. Their integrity, principles and commitment to the community are an inspiration to those who know them. My family and I have been blessed in so many ways through our business connections to this fine family,” stated Angie Bryan, SVP/Human Resources Manager.
Chase Coleman, EVP/Chief Credit Officer said, “I want to congratulate the Cecil family on their success at Liberty over the past 100 years. Liberty has partnered with many individuals, businesses, and non- profits in Lamar County over this time frame. I think this is a testament to the Cecil family’s leadership abilities, business acumen, and most importantly, integrity, which I think is a defining attribute of the Cecil family. I look forward to many more successful years for Liberty National Bank and the Paris community.”
Throughout the Cecil’s 100-year history of being a part of the banking industry they’ve also strived to improve the community in other way. To celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Cecil family, the bank made contributions to support the downtown lighting project, Light Up Paris Texas, to assist in beautifying our historic downtown. LUPTX began in 2022 as a community-wide effort to illuminate Paris’ downtown plaza. The organization works closely with Paris Main Street to decide what areas would benefit from more light and the safety it offers. The Cecil family and bank are proud to be apart of the start-up funds to help LUPTX with this beautification project for the community.
Chairman Cecil said, “I cannot believe my family has been in Paris for 100 years. I am truly thankful that we have been able to continue our banking tradition with the hiring of my son, Dillon. This would not have been possible without our loyal multi-generational customer base, cooperative shareholders, competent board of directors, and of course the outstanding officers and employees that have worked with all of the Cecil’s over the years. We have always surrounded ourselves with great people and it has been a strength that has kept us in business. I am also proud that Philip, myself, and Dillon worked for larger banks in Dallas which gave us all experience before joining family in Paris. Thank you, Paris and Lamar County, for supporting us, words cannot express my gratitude. I think our collective future is very bright and I hope we can serve you for another 100 years.”
