Serving Texas since 1900, Oakwood Bank takes pride in building relationships and establishing trust with our clients. Our primary goal is to provide the highest level of banking services to our clients. Whether loans, deposit services or treasury management expertise, our team of professional bankers is here to serve you and provide you with a memorable and outstanding banking experience, each and every time you discover a need or have a special request.
Roy Salley’s thirty plus years of banking experience is a story of consistent success in positions of increasing responsibility encompassing a wide range of banking operations. Roy has chartered and capitalized two banks which achieved and maintained profitable operations and grew organically and through successful acquisitions. He has turnaround and nonperforming asset liquidation experience. Roy has a long track record of prudent lending in commercial real estate and C&I sectors. Roy is a seasoned CEO who is well regarded by bank regulators and well respected by his peers.
In 1998, Mr. Salley formed First Mercantile Bank, N.A., in Dallas, raising $28 million in two offerings at $10.00 and $17.50 per share respectively. The bank reached $100 million in total assets at the end of the first year and was profitable within six months of its opening. First Mercantile completed the acquisition of a bank with $60 million in total assets in 2001. By 2002, First Mercantile had grown to $400 million in assets and operated four locations in Dallas and two in Austin, Texas. Colonial Bank targeted First Mercantile for its initial entry into Texas and acquired the bank in 2002 for $55 per share, a phenomenal return for First Mercantile shareholders.
Rhett D. Bentley has approximately 20 years of banking experience, primarily in the lending area. Mr. Bentley began his banking career in 1977 as an assistant vice president with Central Bank of the South in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1982, he joined RepublicBank Dallas, Texas as a vice president responsible for a multi-man team of corporate lending personnel. In 1988, he went to Texas Commerce Bank, Dallas as an executive president responsible for sales and market of banking services and lending to domestic commercial accounts. In 1991, he became the president of Landmar Resources, Inc. in Dallas which makes financial and energy investments with an emphasis on purchasing oil and gas production and royalties and other personal investments and currently holds that position.
Nevertheless, Mr. Bentley continued his relationship to the banking community. In 1997, Mr. Bentley was the founding Chairman of the Board and a Director of First Mercantile Bank, N.A. Dallas, Texas. While with First Mercantile, Mr. Bentley was a member of the investment committee, and executive committee and Chairman of the Director’s Loan Committee with the authority to approve all loans over $250,000. First Mercantile was sold to Colonial Bancgroup in 2002. After the sale of First Mercantile, Mr. Bentley continued the Dallas board and loan committee, approving loan requests up to $20 million at the subsidiary bank, Colonial Bank. Additionally, in 2005, he became a member of the loan committee for the entire organization, approving credit up to the bank’s legal lending limit.
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