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| 5 | 6 | | |
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| 6 | 7 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, The life of an esteemed business leader drew to a |
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| 8 | 9 | | close with the passing of J. Pat Hickman of Canyon on March 1, 2025, |
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| 9 | 10 | | at the age of 72; and |
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| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, The son of John and Mildred Hickman, Pat Hickman was |
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| 11 | 12 | | born in Canyon on March 17, 1952, and he grew up with the |
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| 12 | 13 | | companionship of three siblings, Mike, Don, and Sara Jo; he |
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| 13 | 14 | | graduated from Canyon High School in 1970; he went on to attend |
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| 14 | 15 | | Texas Tech University, where he joined the Phi Delta Theta |
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| 15 | 16 | | fraternity, and at the age of 70, he resumed his studies there and |
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| 16 | 17 | | received a bachelor's degree in 2024; and |
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| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Hickman began his career in banking in 1975, and |
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| 18 | 19 | | he worked at a number of financial institutions in Canyon and |
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| 19 | 20 | | Amarillo before establishing Happy Bancshares, Inc., in 1989; he |
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| 20 | 21 | | led a group of investors to purchase First State Bank of Happy, |
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| 21 | 22 | | where he distinguished himself as chair, president, and CEO for |
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| 22 | 23 | | more than three decades; under his able guidance, Happy State Bank |
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| 23 | 24 | | experienced significant growth and eventually became the 19th |
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| 24 | 25 | | largest bank in Texas with $7.4 billion in assets; in 2022, he |
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| 25 | 26 | | oversaw the sale of the business to Home BancShares, Inc., and he |
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| 26 | 27 | | continued to serve as a member of that company's board; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Highly active in his community, Mr. Hickman was |
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| 28 | 29 | | involved in numerous civic organizations, including the Canyon |
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| 29 | 30 | | Lions Club, Amarillo Symphony, Texas Panhandle Heritage |
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| 30 | 31 | | Foundation, Texas Tech Foundation, and Panhandle-Plains Historical |
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| 31 | 32 | | Society; he was also a founding member of the Excellence in Banking |
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| 32 | 33 | | Program at Texas Tech and chair of the Independent Bankers |
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| 33 | 34 | | Association of Texas; in 1990, Mr. Hickman was elected to the first |
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| 34 | 35 | | of three terms on the Canyon Independent School District Board of |
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| 35 | 36 | | Trustees, which he served as president; Governor Greg Abbott |
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| 36 | 37 | | appointed him to the Texas Economic Development Corporation board |
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| 37 | 38 | | in 2019; among his many achievements, he was named the Canyon |
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| 38 | 39 | | Citizen of the Year in 2008 as well as the Randall County |
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| 39 | 40 | | Agri-Businessman of the Decade in 2010, and he was included among |
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| 40 | 41 | | IBAT's Heroes and Legends of Community Banking list; and |
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| 41 | 42 | | WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Hickman enjoyed the love |
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| 42 | 43 | | and support of his wife, Nancy, with whom he shared a rewarding |
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| 43 | 44 | | marriage that spanned 48 years; he took great pride in their four |
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| 44 | 45 | | children, Brad, Grant, Tara, and Crista, and he had the pleasure of |
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| 45 | 46 | | welcoming into his family 19 grandchildren; and |
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| 46 | 47 | | WHEREAS, While Pat Hickman's passing has deprived the banking |
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| 47 | 48 | | industry of one of its giants, those he leaves behind will continue |
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| 48 | 49 | | to find inspiration in his accomplishments for years to come; now, |
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| 49 | 50 | | therefore, be it |
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| 50 | 51 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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| 51 | 52 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of J. Pat Hickman and |
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| 52 | 53 | | extend heartfelt sympathy to his family and many friends; and, be it |
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| 53 | 54 | | further |
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| 54 | 55 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 55 | 56 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 56 | 57 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Pat |
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| 57 | 58 | | Hickman. |
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