End of an Era: Hometown banker calls it a career
By David H. Waller
Note: Dad has never been one for attention, and he would much rather stay quietly behind the scenes. Not everyone gets a fancy article in The Albany News when they retire, but this is one of the perks of having a son who runs the paper, I get to honor him with words. Now to the article...
Not many kids look forward to going to the bank, unless they are cashing a check from grandma. But for me, growing up in Moran and Albany, going to the bank was something I genuinely got excited about. It meant I got to see my dad in his domain.
I’m sure every kid feels that way about seeing their dad at work, wherever that may be, but mine was always at the bank. And Friday, that feeling comes to an end. At 5 p.m. on Friday, my dad will walk out of the bank for the last time as an employee. After 40 years at the same bank, he is finally hanging up his… well, I couldn’t think of a good banking term, so we will go with cleats, and calling it a career.
He started working at Moran National Bank in 1985. He was in his early 30s, starting fresh in a new line of work. When I was trying to decide whether to buy The Albany News, realizing he was about that same age when he stepped into banking made me feel okay about starting over myself.
Over the years, the name on the building changed, but his desk never really did. Moran National Bank became People’s State Bank, and later First Financial Bank, but he stayed right there, serving the same people in the same communities.
Some of my fondest memories are from those days in Moran, going to see Dad at the old bank building. If you have ever been in that place, you know how special it is. As a kid, it felt like a castle. I loved wandering room to room, even sneaking upstairs where the old Masonic Lodge and boarding house once were. It was the perfect place to get scared. It is also where we spent Y2K, camped out at the bank to make sure the world did not end. It didn’t, and we had a blast staying up with Dad until midnight.
Every time I was in the bank, a cowboy, roughneck, or rancher would walk in and Dad would greet them by name, ask about their family, or strike up an easy conversation. He truly never met a stranger, which is probably the perfect quality for a banker. He could be stern when he had to be, but he genuinely cared about people, often helping them in ways that had nothing to do with deposits or loans. He never talked about that part, and that is what made it real.
In the late 2000s, a long-time dream of his came true when he helped lead the opening of First Financial’s Albany branch. It started small, tucked into a little office on Main Street, and a few years later turned into the full branch building that opened in 2011. It is hard to believe that building is nearly 15 years old. Time has a way of doing that.
From the people who
worked beside him
“I knew Steve a long time before he worked for our bank, and he has always been the epitome of an outstanding community banker,” said Scott Dueser, CEO of First Financial Bankshares, Inc. “Not only is he a great banker, but he is also an exceptional community leader who knows everybody by name and is passionate about helping his customers attain success in whatever they do. Our Bank, Albany, and all of West Texas have been blessed by what he and Susan have done to enrich the lives of others.”
“Steve Waller is the definition of a community banker,” said Ron Butler, Chairman of First Financial Bank. “He has been a huge supporter of the Albany and Moran communities, working tirelessly as a volunteer for virtually every community project. Steve is also a trusted advisor for the many customers that he has served for many years. He is a jewel of a human being too, a great family man and a treasured member of the First Financial family. We wish Steve and Susan the best in their next phase of life.”
“Steve will always be remembered as a quintessential community banker who loves his God, his wife and family, his home of Albany and Moran, and to quote Steve, he always loved working for ‘the best bank in the world,’” said Marelyn Shedd, CEO of the Abilene Region for First Financial Bank. “Steve never hesitated to help with our many opportunities to cook for hundreds of community events not only in Albany or Moran but throughout our region. Steve has a way of building people up and standing by his bank family through good times as well as hard times. Although we will miss his presence on a daily basis, Steve will always be part of the FFIN family. We wish he and his family all the best in this new chapter of life.”
“When you’ve worked with someone for 40 years it’s kind of hard to sum all those years up in a couple of sentences,” said Jana Kitchens, who has worked alongside Steve since he began his banking career in 1985. “There’s been a lot of life that’s been lived, lots of happy times, some sad times, lots of banking, lots of changes, tons of people, customers, employees, and friends, having babies, all that comes with raising kids, then grand babies, laughter, a few tears, and through it all, Steve has always been a great leader and friend. So I’ll just say it’s been a wonderful journey, and I couldn’t have asked for anyone better to share it with.”
“Working for Steve has been a true blessing,” said Keri Hebel, who has worked with him for 25 years. “His work ethic and his dedication to his community have been very inspiring. I have learned so much from Steve in the 25 years of working with him. I couldn’t have asked for a better leader. I will miss him, but I’m so happy for him to enjoy his next adventure!”
Beyond the
bank doors
Now here we are, at the start of 2026, at the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. I am not quite ready for the idea that I will no longer stroll into the bank to see Dad. His office will look different. The decorations will change. There will be a new banker in that chair. The man in the vest with the mustache will no longer be there, helping neighbors take the next step toward their dreams.
And he is not leaving town. You will still see him all the time. I am sure he will still wander into the bank when someone needs advice or guidance, and I am equally sure he will continue serving on far too many boards. The thing is, he loves this community, and he will keep giving to it long after his office door is no longer his.
So Friday at 5 p.m., I hope you will come by First Financial Bank in Albany and help me say goodbye to my favorite banker. You will also get to meet the man taking his place, Waylon Boyd. He is a great fit for this role, and he is a heck of a golfer, which means I am officially calling dibs on him for all future Albany Golf Club tournaments.
“To me, Steve is the consummate banker,” his wife Susan said. “He is smart, kind, and truly loves Albany and Moran and the people he serves. He has always given back, and just when you think he could not possibly add one more thing to his plate, he somehow finds room for three more. I am incredibly proud of the man he is and of the wonderful women who have worked alongside him at the bank over the years, his real bosses.”
Starting Monday, January 5, a new era begins at First Financial Bank in Albany and Moran. I am sad that my dad is done at the bank, but I am even more excited for him as he steps into a season where he gets to spend his time however he wants, which may or may not drive my mother a little crazy. I will keep you posted on that part.
And I know at this point this article may be starting to read like an obituary, but let me assure you, it is not. He is very much alive, very much well, and still perfectly capable of offering unsolicited financial wisdom whenever I make a questionable purchase. The only real difference is that he will no longer be sitting behind a desk where he can quietly fix my problems when I accidentally overdraft, which honestly might be the hardest part of this whole transition.
I may be the creative one in the family and clearly did not inherit the math/financial genes, but I can safely say that my hero was a banker.
