The Article
AMARILLO, TX – Recently, FirstBank Southwest (FBSW) was named a 2025 Cornerstone Award recipient by the Texas Bankers Association (TBA) for its Banking Advisory Council (BAC)—a forward-thinking initiative designed to shape the future of community banking through student collaboration and career development.
The prestigious Cornerstone Award honors Texas banks that go above and beyond in their service to communities across the state. These banks are recognized for their dedication, innovation, and impact. FirstBank Southwest joins this distinguished group for exemplifying what it means to serve and invest in the next generation.
Launched in 2023, the BAC is a 15-member council composed of high school seniors from Amarillo ISD, Canyon ISD, and Bushland ISD, along with freshmen and sophomores from Amarillo College. Students were selected through a rigorous application process that included academic performance, essays, and in-person interviews.
“We want to expose these students to the world of banking—and hopefully inspire a new generation of bankers. At the same time, we’re learning from them what their generation values in a financial relationship. This helps us evolve into the community bank of the future,” said Andy Marshall, President and CEO of FirstBank Southwest.
The BAC provides students with leadership development, professional skills training, community service opportunities, and exposure to real-world banking operations. Members also gain access to mentorship and networking with senior bank leaders.
“This presents a remarkable opportunity for our team to gather insights from students and reciprocate by imparting leadership skills,” said Kelly Preston, Banking Advisory Council Program Director and Senior Vice President, Human Resources Director at FirstBank Southwest. “We are incredibly proud of what this program has already achieved—and honored to be recognized by the TBA.”
FirstBank Southwest remains committed to enriching lives and strengthening communities, not just through banking services, but by investing in the leaders of tomorrow.
About Firstbank Southwest
FirstBank Southwest (“FBSW”) was founded in 1907 and family-owned since 1934. FirstBank Southwest is a dynamic 1.8B+ regional bank that has the privilege of serving the families and businesses of the Texas Panhandle, DFW Metroplex, and Austin and San Antonio metro markets. It is the mission of FBSW to be the preferred community bank in the great state of Texas by providing focused financial services for commercial customers and retail customers. Get social with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X. Visit us on our webpage at: www.fbsw.com.
###
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Aimee Grubbs, Marketing Director, 806.322.7229, [email protected]