GENTRY — Paul Galyean has announced his retirement, effective at the close of this month, from a long-held post as manager of the Gentry Bank branch of Decatur State Bank.

In a letter dated July 16, Galyean wrote: “At the end of July, I will be retiring from Decatur State Bank to enjoy life with my wife Linda, the kids and grand-kids, by doing more of my favorite things, like watching the Razorbacks, golf, snow skiing, gardening, farming and travel.”

Galyean grew up on a farm in Hiwasse and credits his work philosophy to experiences there.

“I am a ‘Hiwasse’ kid that grew up in the ‘50s and ‘60s on a chicken and cattle farm where I learned basic teamwork as we all worked together at whatever needed to be done with no concerns over job descriptions. My folks raised chickens for Mr. (Lloyd) Peterson during part of that time and I recall them following the last chicken truck to the scales at Decatur to find out the weights and get their check. We should never forget the contributions made by great men of vision like Mr. Peterson to the growth of Benton County.”

Galyean served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970 and saw the world in both directions, with a four-month tourof Viet Nam and an eightmonth tour of Germany.

Galyean married Linda Thomas at her parents’ home in Siloam Springs on Nov. 8, 1969. He and Linda have two children, Jana and Tim. Jana has two girls, Lauren and Taylor Shepherd; and Tim has four boys, Cody, Corey, Jaxon, and Jacen.

“Our priorities have always been God and family throughout the years,” Galyean wrote.

He began his banking career in 1974 at the Bank of Gravett, just two days after graduation from John Brown University, where his commencement speaker was then Dallas Cowboy coach Tom Landry.

“Linda and I are both JBUgraduates and have recently established an endowed scholarship fund to help other local students attending JBU,” he wrote.

Galyean worked as a loan officer at Gravette for more than four years with Vernon Austin, Lyle Austin, Larry Wilmoth, Stokes Ballard and John Richard Meade before being interviewed in 1978 by Ed Buck and Jim Walton in Sam Walton’s office to take an officer and director position at the Bank of Pea Ridge under then president Rick Buck.

He joined Decatur State Bank in 1984 as Gentry Bank manager and as a member of the Decatur State Bank Board. The bank’s total loans were under $14 million andtotal assets under $20 million at the time.

Galyean said, “It was great to be back working with Vernon Austin and building all those great customer relationships.”

At that time the Gentry Branch, which opened in 1980, was staffed by Pat Halford, Sue Etris, Janis Folker, and Galyean.

During the 26 years at the Gentry Bank, Galyean served as a board member and president of the Gentry United Way and Gentry Main Street organizations.

“In retrospect, I was richly blessed to always have great people to serve with through the years,” Galyean wrote. “I leave Decatur State Bank with lots of good memoriesand I truly believe that the current staff (members) are the best folks in the world. I will deeply miss them and all the great customers of Decatur State Bank, but at the same time I genuinely look forward to the future that God has planned.

News, Pages 5 on 07/27/2011