A Tradition of Service

 In the early 1960’s, a group of successful, local business men and women began pursuing a shared dream to open a true “community” bank in the Houston area. Those investors, led by Houston attorneys and brothers, Charles and Ed Vickery, realized that dream in 1963 with the opening of their first bank, The First National Bank of Bellaire. That bank, now called Tradition Bank–Bellaire, is located at the corner of Bissonnet and Chimney Rock, and serves as the home office and operational center for all the Tradition Bank locations.  

With the success of their first bank in Bellaire, these investors began to look at other areas where they felt their community-based philosophy of banking would work well. The idea was to look for emerging communities with strong residential and commercial development, superior school districts and a substantial church presence. Over the years, this core group of dedicated bankers opened several new banks in various communities throughout Houston and the surrounding areas. Because this was before the advent of branch banking in the State of Texas , each of these banks opened with different names under separate bank charters. However, when branch banking was authorized in Texas , each bank was eventually organized under the common holding company Tradition Bancshares, Inc. and starting operating under the name Tradition Bank.  

Today, principal shareholder Ed Vickery remains active in the banks and serves as Chairman of The Board. Senior management of the bank consists of his son, Downy Vickery, who has been with the bank since 1980 and currently serves as CEO of Tradition Bancshares, Inc. and President of the Tradition Bank–Grand Parkway location, and Craig Wooten, who has been with the bank since 1971 and serves as CFO and COO of Tradition Bancshares, Inc. and President of the Tradition Bank–Bellaire location. Dr. Roy Olsen, who was one of the original organizing directors in 1963, remains active as a current member of the Board of Directors.  

The name Tradition Bank was chosen because it reflected the traditional values of personal service, honesty and integrity that have served as the cornerstone of Tradition Bank’s philosophy since the initial meetings in the early 1960s. Also, with the bank’s management actively pursuing additional locations, it was felt the name Tradition Bank would be a good fit in any community under consideration for a future banking center.  

Tradition Bank takes great pride in being a member of the various communities it serves. Most of the officers and staff live and raise their families in the communities where they work, and are very active in community activities and organizations. The personal service they offer is best exemplified by Tradition Bank’s friendly staff of professional bankers and their philosophy of providing “local answers” by having a president in each banking center location so that decision makers are available on site.  

The Tradition Bank Family consists of the following eight banking centers:  

Tradition Bank–Bellaire…………..opened as The First National Bank of Bellaire in 1963

Tradition Bank–Alief……………..opened as Alief Alamo Bank in 1980

Tradition Bank– Fry Road …………opened as Mayde Creek Bank in 1985

Tradition Bank–Pin Oak………......opened as Katy Bank in 1993

Tradition Bank– Grand Parkway .......opened in 2001

Tradition Bank–The Woodlands......opened in 2006

Tradition Bank–The Plaza………...opened in 2007

Tradition Bank–Pearland………….scheduled to open in late 2008 or early 2009