First State Bank & Trust Co. celebrates 116 years

First State Bank & Trust Co. celebrated their 116-year anniversary this June, having opened their doors for the first time on June 30, 1896. To commemorate this milestone, the Bank hosted a Customer Appreciation Hamburger Feed on June 9 on the bank’s Larned property, serving an estimated 500 hamburgers and hot dogs that day.  The event included live music from The Dixie Land Band, and bank staff was on hand to grill and serve.

First State Bank & Trust Co., which also has locations in Pratt, Overland Park, and Iuka, attributes their longevity to their dedicated people and their commitment to quality.  They are rated as a 5-Star Bank (the highest ranking) by BauerFinancial, and they are listed among The Strongest Banks in the U.S. by Weiss Ratings.

 Family commitment has also been very important in the history of the bank, with many of the First State Bank leadership over the years having family ties. The bank’s Chairman/CEO, Douglas Briggs, is the fifth generation member of the family to lead the bank. His son, Taylor Briggs, recently began his career in the Bank’s Pratt location.  He represents the sixth generation of family involvement, being able to trace his family line back through five bank presidents to his great, great, great grandfather, H. H. Reed, who served as a director beginning in 1900 and as bank president beginning in 1904.

Left to right, Taylor Briggs, Douglas Briggs, Reed Peters, Leigh Briggs
Photos, left to right:  Kenneth Peters, H.H. Reed, H. Leon Reed, H. Mont Reed