First Financial Bank, N.A. Honored With ABA Foundation Community Commitment Award

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Oct 07, 2015, 03:00 ET

ABILENE, Texas, Oct. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- First Financial Bank, N.A. announced today that it has been nationally recognized for its Financial Exploitation Education Program with an American Bankers Association Community Commitment Award. The award, sponsored by the ABA Community Engagement Foundation, was given to First Financial for its achievements in the Protecting Older Americans category and will be presented during ABA's Annual Convention in Los Angeles on November 10, 2015.

"The Financial Exploitation Education Program demonstrates First Financial Bank's strong and passionate commitment to bettering the lives of its customers and local communities," said Frank Keating, ABA president and CEO. "Their work embodies the mission of the Community Commitment Awards and they are a truly well-deserved recipient."

"First Financial Bank and our employees are always working to find new and meaningful ways to positively impact our community," said F. Scott Dueser, Chairman, President and CEO of First Financial. "We are humbled and honored to accept this award for our efforts."

In partnership with the Abilene Police Department, the Better Business Bureau and Adult Protective Services, First Financial created a multi-faceted financial exploitation education program that focuses specifically on the financial exploitation of the elderly. Nationally, victims of financial exploitation report $2.9 billion in losses annually. However, actual losses are much higher due to the reluctance of victims to report financial crimes that involve family members, victims who fear the loss of independence or those who are simply too embarrassed to come forward. The primary purpose of the program is to educate customers and the general public about fraud and exploitive scams that target the vulnerable senior population.

While initiated in Abilene, Texas, the program is now active in all 70 branches of First Financial and effectively covers a geographic range of over 700 miles. First Financial Bank Officers have conducted 152 workshops on detecting and preventing fraud and the Bank's front-line staff has prevented fraudulent losses in excess of $1 million.

The Bank's Financial Exploitation Education Program received national recognition when F. Scott Dueser, served as a panelist during the White House Conference on Aging.

From a record-high field of nearly 200 entries, the ABA selection committee chose six banks based on the creativity and thoughtfulness of programs, traditional or innovative in nature and structure, that embody the ideals of corporate social responsibility and demonstrate success in measurable terms.

Entries were divided into seven categories including affordable housing, community and economic development, financial education, nontraditional borrower and underbanked, protecting older Americans, volunteerism and the George Bailey Distinguished Service Award. Award winners were chosen by a field of nationally-recognized experts.

About First Financial Bank, N.A.
First Financial Bank, N.A. is a wholly owned subsidiary of First Financial Bankshares, Inc. Headquartered in Abilene, Texas, First Financial Bankshares, Inc. is a financial holding company that through its subsidiary, First Financial Bank, N.A., operates 13 banking regions with 70 locations in Texas including Abilene, Acton, Albany, Aledo, Alvarado, Beaumont, Boyd, Bridgeport, Brock, Burleson, Cisco, Cleburne, Clyde, Conroe, Cut and Shoot, Decatur, Eastland, Fort Worth, Glen Rose, Granbury, Grapevine, Hereford, Huntsville, Keller, Magnolia, Mauriceville, Merkel, Midlothian, Mineral Wells, Montgomery, Moran, New Waverly, Newton, Odessa, Orange, Port Arthur, Ranger, Rising Star, Roby, San Angelo, Southlake, Stephenville, Sweetwater, Trent, Trophy Club, Vidor, Waxahachie, Weatherford, Willis, Willow Park and The Woodlands. The Company also operates First Financial Trust & Asset Management Company, N.A., with eight locations and First Technology Services, Inc., a technology operating company.

The Company is listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market under the trading symbol FFIN. For more information about First Financial Bankshares, please visit our website at http://www.ffin.com.

Certain statements contained herein may be considered "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the belief of the Company's management, as well as assumptions made beyond information currently available to the Company's management, and may be, but not necessarily are, identified by such words as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "target", "forecast" and "goal". Because such "forward-looking statements" are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include competition from other financial institutions and financial holding companies; the effects of and changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board; changes in the demand for loans; fluctuations in value of collateral and loan reserves; inflation, interest rate, market and monetary fluctuations; changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits; and acquisitions and integration of acquired businesses, and similar variables. Other key risks are described in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which may be obtained under "Investor Relations-Documents/Filings" on the Company's Web site or by writing or calling the Company at 325.627.7155. Except as otherwise stated in this news announcement, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements because of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE First Financial Bankshares, Inc.