Chris Richards

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age: 40 | Vice President of Lending | Commercial National Bank

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Working in banking, specifically lending, is a path that Chris Richards has chosen so he can utilize his enthusiasm for helping customers and businesses with the common goals to help grow and develop the community.  “I’ve been in banking a relatively short amount of time, but I have managed to join a great team at Commercial National Bank while working for a great Texarkana family,” he explains.  “As a born and raised local, my career path allows me to continue to help our community grow.”

Chris admits that his family is his greatest personal asset.  “I have an amazing wife, Lauren, who is a perfect mother to Frannie and Sutton and an absolute asset to our community and state,” he says.  “As a felony prosecutor for Bowie County, she works countless hours and still manages to raise two wonderful children.  My greatest joy is ending each day with my three favorite people.”

In his spare time, Chris enjoys golfing, although he says that anything his kids enjoy, he will also enjoy.  He has personally served on several local nonprofit boards but the two most important to him personally are CASA and the Alzheimer’s Alliance. “My wife being in the profession she is in, we see firsthand the horrible things some children can experience,” he explains.  “Helping in any way possible is a must, and CASA is a great organization with great people. My mother, Terrie Arnold, is the executive director of the Alzheimer’s Alliance in Texarkana. Alzheimers is a disease most people don’t fully understand.  What it can do to those affected, as well as the family, can be heartbreaking. The Alzheimer’s Alliance allows family members to get the care for their loved ones that is so desperately needed. Helping these two organizations raise money to continue to serve our community is extremely important to me.”

Best piece of advice:

“You can’t be surprised when a circus breaks out when you leave the clowns in charge.” – John Crisp, Chris’ best friend since childhood

Name something about you that very few people know:

“I used to be a pilot. In fact, I flew a plane by myself for the first time the day I turned 16 ... a day before I even had my driver’s license.”