GRAVETTE — GRAVETTE - It was the “end of an era” several days ago at the Bank of Gravett when John R. Meade, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Gravette Bancshares, Inc., announced his retirement.
Meade began his career at the Bank of Gravett, the oldest bank in Benton County, in 1950. He has served 62 years, ranging from teller to president of the institution which was founded in 1898.
Although he had formally retired in 2004, he had retained the title of president and CEO and served as chairman of the bank board.
Meade recalls an August day in 1958 when the bank was robbed: “One day after the bank had closed, a man came to the door and I let him in to see how we could help him,” Meade said.
“He told me he was there to rob the bank. After he got a bag full of money, he ordered all of us (there were eight employees) into the vault and locked the door. A lady from the Empire Electric office (just a few doors from the bank) had hurried down the street to make a deposit right at closing time and happened to see what was going on. She quickly alerted my dad, Richard Meade, at a business across the street and Roy Burrow, a local citizen. They came and apprehended the robber until police arrived.
“We called the vault combination out to my dad and he let us all out of the vault. That was a day I’ll never forget!,” Meade said.
Meade remembers the “Bank of Gravett had $2.4 million in assets, with eight employees.”
The bank moved into its new location, a new brick building at 211 Main St. S.E., in 1973. In 1998, during its centennial year, it opened the Hiwasse branch bank, and in 2003 added a second branch facility in Centerton.
Assets at the bank today stand at nearly $140 million, with a staff of 50 employees.
Meade became president of the institution in 1983 and, under his direction, the bank has always demonstrated what it means to be a “community bank” by giving back to the community. This has included significant contributions and monetary support to the Gravette Hospital, which enabled that facility to keep its doors open during a difficult time. In 2002, the bank contributed $100,000 to the city of Gravette’s overpassproject and has always been a continuing supporter of the Gravette school system.
A soft-spoken, lifelong resident of the community, Meade mentioned these efforts, not with a boast but “as a gesture of the bank’s commitment to our community and the folks we serve.”
The bank is continuing its tradition of promoting from within, he said. His retirement allows others on the management team to fill higher positions to move the bank forward in the current marketplace.
A 24-year veteran at the bank, Richard T. Pollreis, was elected by the board of directors to the CEO position.
Pollreis graduated from Gravette High School in 1976 and received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Central Arkansas before serving in the U.S. Army as an officer from 1980-84. He began his career at the bank in 1988 and has served in various capacities from teller to controller. Until his advancement, he was CFO/senior vice president and is responsible for all financial reports of the bank and the bank shares holding company. As a member of the board of directors since 2004, he will continue his current responsibilities in addition to overall management of bank operations.
Pollreis said, “The Bank of Gravette will continue the legacy established by John Meade by treating the customer the way you would want to be treated and continuing as a conservative, customer-focused, community bank.”
The new CEO currently resides in Bentonville with his wife. Children include Jessica, Richard, Leslie, Bryan, Sarah, Melissa and Michelle.
Jim Sloan will succeed Meade as bank president. Sloan joined the bank in 2008 and serves as market president of the Centerton Branch as well as senior vice president/chief loan officer and director.
He holds a bachelor’s degree and has a 30-year banking career in commercial lending, which brought an elevated level of lending experience with emphasisnamed its new president.
in commercial lending. He had served as market president of Grand Bank in Grove, Okla. He and his wife Eve reside on Patricia Island in that Oklahoma community.
Meade leaves a legacy of serving the bank, more than half of its 114 year history, with respect and admiration from customers he served,the staff, and as one of the most honored and respected bankers in the region.
John Richard Meade is respected not only as a banker, but as a citizen. Down through the years, he has served on the city’s volunteer fire department, on the school board and has a lifetime of support for Gravette and the area.
News, Pages 3 on 11/14/2012