Fifty Years and Counting
(Bristow, Okla.) -- On Friday, January 30th, the employees of SpiritBank hosted a surprise celebration for Chairman of the Board, Tracy Kelly, celebrating his fiftieth year at the bank.
Kelly, the middle child of five brothers was born November 15, 1926. He attended the New Mexico Military Institute and graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in finance and economics. In the early 1950’s Kelly served in Korea as a 1st Lieutenant in the US Army. In the late 1950’s Kelly began his career at the bank. As second generation owner of the bank, Kelly has instilled the values and spirit of his family into the bank culture and into the community around him.
Having been with the bank since the days when the telephone number was just one digit and the name of the bank was American National Bank, Kelly has been an integral part of the growth of both the bank and his hometown. Kelly has served the Bristow community holding positions in the Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, Bristow Industrial Authority and many more local organizations. Kelly has served SpiritBank by holding the position of Chairman of the Board since 1964.
Kelly enjoys the company of his wife, Polly, daughters, Faith, Hope and Joy and three grandchildren, Cloie, Elleon and Marshall.
The anniversary celebration was held at the SpiritBank branch in Bristow and included an employee luncheon and a community reception in the lobby. Family, friends and community members all gathered to celebrate Kelly’s great accomplishment. Bristow Mayor, Leon Pinson, officially declared January
30, 2009 to be “Tracy Kelly Day” and gave Kelly a key to the city. Kelly gave a speech of appreciation, telling the crowd how much they have meant to him and what an honor it has been to serve them for the past fifty years.
Kelly’s philosophy has always been that he is in the “Ministry of Banking.” He sees his work as helping others fulfill their dreams and that is the foundation of SpiritBank. “His sincerity of purpose, commitment, and vitality is evident daily,” says Bob Wyatt, SpiritBank’s Senior Vice President of Business Development in Bristow. Tracy truly exemplifies his family’s motto of “service above self.”
SpiritBank, a community bank based in Bristow, Okla., has 18 branches statewide. The bank, founded in 1916, has assets exceeding $1 billion and more than 350 employees. The bank’s commitment to customer success is reflected in its advertising, which features actual bank customers.