Friday, March 29, 2024

A lifetime of banking

J. Raymond David Sr., PointBank CEO

PointBank CEO J. Raymond David Sr. began his banking career in 1962 as a bookkeeper for First State Bank in Denton.

It was clear very early on that David – a college student at the time – wanted to learn every nook and cranny of the industry, and by the time he left 14 years later, he had worked in nearly every department that bank had to offer.

David still is very hands-on in what has become nearly a lifetime in banking. He is the enduring face of Denton County’s oldest community bank, and in March marked his 50th anniversary in banking.

But as far as David is concerned, that’s not an invitation to slow down.

“I’ve always said that so long as the good Lord gives me a strong mind that keeps me from messing things up, I will be here,” said David, who is 74. “I have no intentions of retiring. I still love coming to work every day.”

With the exception of a short stint in the restaurant business, banking is all David has every really known – and loved. After leaving First State Bank of Denton in 1976, he spent four years working in management for Grandy’s restaurants before leaving there in 1980 to open an Orange Julius restaurant that same year.

The lure of banking continued to call, however, and on March 9, 1981, he succeeded Ralph Burton as the President of Pilot Point National Bank. That community bank is now known as PointBank.

Over the last 36 years, David, and eventually his sons Ray David Jr. and Jonathan David, have helped grow PointBank from a single-location bank of around $18 million in assets to roughly $475 million today. That has included the addition of eight more locations in Aubrey, Argyle, Denton (two locations), Lake Cities, Lewisville, Little Elm and Flower Mound.

David’s love for banking has created a culture at PointBank that has allowed him and his employees to be stewards of the community while continuing to buck the trend of the stodgy and impersonal style that tends to dominate most too-big-to-fail banks. There are still long-term customers who seek out Raymond in person, or call him directly on his cell phone. And employees feel comfortable simply calling him Raymond when they see him in the branches.

The goal is to treat every customer like the only customer, and that mentality has thrived despite an ever-changing financial landscape. If you talk to David, it’s clear how dedicated he is to his customers, employees and the community.

“You want people to come in and feel warm and welcome,” David said. “Banking has changed dramatically over the last 50 years, but the thing that makes me most proud is that we have always been about customer service and serving the community. I have always appreciated that about being in community banking.”

 Though he turned over the reins of President to Ray in 2004, David has remained as the bank’s CEO. Looking back, he couldn’t be more proud. And as he puts it, he’s still got plenty to learn.

“To be honest with you, until the 50th anniversary came up, I didn’t realize I had reached it,” David said. “Coming to PointBank was a chance to come home, and my greatest accomplishment so far has to be watching the growth of PointBank and being able to help people.”

CTG Staff
CTG Staff
The Cross Timbers Gazette News Department

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