Been very 'happy' with HSB for decades. Know a lot of the people who work there, They've always gone above and beyond. It was great having a local bank.

I was disappointed and nervous when they sold to the Arkansas bank, but it's been okay...until now.

Got a phone call this morning, telling us our account number duplicates one in the Arkansas system. So guess who has to change their account number, get new checks, and update all their damn autopay accounts.

This guy.

So annoying.

Arkansas...yuk

What do y'all think of Amarillo national?

One positive note, to be fair.

When the lady called from the bank, she told me they would print new checks for free. I told her I seldom use hand written checks, but I'd have to throw out about 100 computer checks because of the change.

Yesterday, I got a box of 300 computer checks. Since I don't see a charge on my account, I assume HSB paid for them.

84AGEC said:

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What do y'all think of Amarillo national?

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Sorry, no opinion good or bad.

If you want to look at a smaller bank, you might check out Wellington State Bank, assuming they have a branch in your town. They seem to be filling the niche that HSB held a decade ago.

CanyonAg77 said:

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Been very 'happy' with HSB for decades. Know a lot of the people who work there, They've always gone above and beyond. It was great having a local bank.

I was disappointed and nervous when they sold to the Arkansas bank, but it's been okay...until now.

Got a phone call this morning, telling us our account number duplicates one in the Arkansas system. So guess who has to change their account number, get new checks, and update all their damn autopay accounts.

This guy.

So annoying.

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Canyon, last year Happy State Bank acquired the bank in Tahoka and because one of their other banks had a customer with my account number I had to run the gauntlet of setting up another account. The folks at my Tahoka bank were really helpful with the transition. Living in Texarkana I was really thankful for their help. Now are you telling me HSB has sold? When did that happen?

They announced it last September, the shareholders approved in December, and I guess the regulators approved, because we are now enduring the merger.

https://www.happybank.com/merger

CanyonAg77 said:

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They announced it last September, the shareholders approved in December, and I guess the regulators approved, because we are now enduring the merger.

https://www.happybank.com/merger

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Interesting I've received no notice of the sale. Do you know which Ark bank is involved?

Texarkanaag69 said:

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CanyonAg77 said:

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They announced it last September, the shareholders approved in December, and I guess the regulators approved, because we are now enduring the merger.

https://www.happybank.com/merger

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Interesting I've received no notice of the sale. Do you know which Ark bank is involved?

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I just read the merger tag. Can't tell what will change but I think you said your account has to be changed.

They new leadership is removing the decision making from the local branches. We've traditionally done all of our banking with HSB for 20 years now. For the first time ever we've been asked to provide documents that have never been required before. Poor local folks are caught in a bad spot telling us "I have no idea why they want this, but they are making us ask everyone for it". That's all I needed to hear.

Quote:

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Home BancShares, Inc., operating as Centennial Bank, is a bank holding company based in Conway, Arkansas. It is on the list of largest banks in the United States. The bank operates 165 branches in Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, and New York City.

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Unless they have changed, the higher ups no nothing and do not understand ag loans, and do not really want to learn. I guess we will see.

The Gruver State Bank merged with Western Bank two or three years ago. They took the name Western Bank but the leadership is nearly all related to the Gruver State Bank in one way or another.

I assume that the Western Bank will still do farm and ranch loans since that's where much of its strength is.

I don't know where all they have banks now.

ANB does have a branch in B/CS... so good?

RedAnimal12 said:

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ANB does have a branch in B/CS... so good?

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I have been with Lubbock National for years....Since ANB bought them out, they pay less interest. But as a bank, they have been fine. Before the merger I had several accounts that they would pay interest on up to 5000$. That ended (with no notice that I recall), but other than that they are fine. Used to have to higher ups in there that were good friends of mine, but they have retired since. Now I am just another guy. But the phone ap is easy and they do what they promise.

I will refrain from any thing other than facts I've observed, but I'll share that I am also unhappy with the changes and plan to move banks.

I heard Pat Hickman speak after the sale was announced. He talked about how Happy SB came to be. Basically, he was frustrated by the lack of locally owned bank options, so he gathered friends and purchased a small bank, and then built the bank staying true to locally owned and operated ideals and values, which is why we chose Happy when we came here. When I go in to the bank, I'm dealing with my neighbors and friends.

So Mr. Hickman founded HSB, marketed the bank to the public as a small town local bank, and then sold the bank, took a very handsome profit (good for him), and left customers wondering what happened to their small town bank. So I will take Mr. Hickman's lead and leave soon for a locally owned bank, I haven't decided which one yet.

I have seen several changes. We have our retirement managed by Happy Investments. Every Christmas we got a beautifully written Christmas Card that was not shy about acknowledging Jesus Christ's birth. This year, it was a generic, corporate "holiday card." We refinanced our home two years ago, and every communication was a personally written email or a phone call. We just purchased an investment property this month and used Happy mortgage again, and this time every communication was clearly an auto-generated one from a client management software, and the phone calls were from an outsourced call center in Florida. We have an individual banker right now who manages all our accounts and gives personal service, and a few perks. We are losing all those things.

Again, good for those original investors who created Happy. While they ran a great bank, they were in it to make money, that's what business is about. I don't fault them, but I have no loyalty to this new bank just because they are keeping the name, at least for now.

I represented Happy State Bank on all of their Lubbock real estate transactions. Still close with a lot of those guys. I wasn't excited about the news of the sale, and I doubt the local guys were either. So far I haven't seen any significant changes with my personal of commercial accounts. Hope it stays that way.

CanyonAg77 said:

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One positive note, to be fair.

When the lady called from the bank, she told me they would print new checks for free. I told her I seldom use hand written checks, but I'd have to throw out about 100 computer checks because of the change.

Yesterday, I got a box of 300 computer checks. Since I don't see a charge on my account, I assume HSB paid for them.

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Update: turns out I paid for the checks after all. Charge finally came through

Heard through the grapevin that both the Canyon and Plainview branch Presidents have resigned.

I drove through Happy twice on Sunday.

Really makes you think.

I can speak this being true in Plainview, along with several employees

BigRedAg18 said:

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I can speak this being true in Plainview, along with several employees

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It's bad when employees bail.

When the branch Presidents bail, that's a train wreck.

Pretty much the entire Lubbock group I work with left Happy.

You work in real estate? I know a bunch of their mortgage folks left in Lubbock.

We just opened a new account with a locally owned bank. We will begin the transition from Happy. It's really a shame because we really did like them, but new policies and now having to change stuff over because of duplicate account numbers, we are all done with Happy.

Insult to injury, my Quicken will no longer download from HSB.

What a freaking train wreck.

I think Mr. Allison has turned HSB into a polished t**d sandwich shop.

BigRedAg18 said:

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I can speak this being true in Plainview, along with several employees

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Guy who leases mom's farm land in Hale County, his wife worked for Happy for years. She's bailed and gone to another bank.

Old Happy State allowed you to link external accounts electronically (broker & other banks) to move money from one bank to another from the convenience of your home.

New Happy State does not have that function. Welcome back to the 1990s.

Sent an email complaining that Quickem wasn't working. After a week, got an email back, not offering any help, just asking if the problem was resolved.

Why, yes! Of course! Computer problems magically fix themselves! How did you know?


Also found a $5 charge on checking account. Never had any fees at all in decades of the old HSB.

Yep I am a long standing Happy SB customer, had an account before we got married, opened new joint account along with savings accounts with them. Since the merger it hasn't seemed the same, lots of frustration. Problem i have was I used to be with ANB before moving my stuff to happy because when i was 18 years old i had a paycheck that i had earned and was trying to cash it, i was told I had to have my dad sign my check as well because the account was still set up as custodian when it was my money i had earned. I liked happy because it was like alot of what yall have said could go to any branch and get help with any issues and had the small town friendly feel. Any time ive walked into an ANB it felt like a local bank trying to pose like a national bank like BOA or Wells Fargo. Always felt like i was just an account # where happy felt like family / friends. May be moving accounts in the not too distant future just not sure where to go.

In this weeks installment of how Happy Bank has changed!

I'm in Omaha for an orchestra deal my oldest son is playing in. My wife's car needed an oil change so I had that done and needed to run an errand in council bluffs, IA. Stopped for a tank of fuel and card was declined. Called Happy bank in Dumas and was put on hold for over 15 minutes then hung up on. Called the branch in Sunray and the lady that answered finally after about 10 more minutes got it "fixed". But I had to go inside and prepay for the fuel instead of using the pump.

In years past, I would get a text from Happy asking if it was me if I responded my charges would go through just fine, now, it's just locked down and good luck. I explained to the lady that I travel all over North America and I need access to my account she "put a note in the system".

Small town feel is GONE. We are done!

Finally changed banks to Education Credit Union. No problems, they pay good interest on accounts, online banking is smooth, best of all:

No damn $5 a month fee for a checking account.

ANB runs a pretty good bank. The majority ownership of happy was majority Drayton McLane. He bought the majority position after he sold the Astros. Happy chewed up a lot of good community banks in West Texas in the panhandle. Very similar to what First Financial out of Abilene did. It is unfortunate, because many of the small towns banks that bought by happy will be without a locally owned, and managed Community Bank. Ultimately, centennial's acquisition will look nothing like what they purchased in three years.

I had no idea McLane owned HSB. Thought it was still local guys, up until the Centennial sellout.

I don't think it's going to take 3 years for HSB to crater. Lots of us have bailed on them.