[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 155 (Thursday, October 30, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2170]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING MR. BILL G. HARTLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RALPH M. HALL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 29, 2003

  Mr. HALL.  Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a truly great American, 
influential leader and dear friend--Mr. Bill Hartley, Chairman of the 
Board and President and CEO of Southside Bank. On October 23, 2003, 
Texas College, in Tyler, Texas, honored Mr. Hartley for his dedicated 
service as a member of their Board of Trustees, and as his friend and 
fellow member of the Board, I honor him with this tribute today.
  Bill G. Hartley was born in Mount Pleasant, Texas and attended Mount 
Pleasant High School. He entered the Texas National Guard in 1948 and 
concluded his service in 1956 with the rank of Master Sergeant.
  Mr. Hartley has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the 
banking industry, working first at the Guaranty Bond State Bank in 
Mount Pleasant, then at the Texas Banking Department in Austin, Texas. 
He presently serves as Chairman of the Board and CEO of the company he 
founded in 1960--Southside Bancshares, Inc., Southside Bank in Tyler, 
Texas. As Southside's, CEO--Bill expressed his support of education--
and those who sought knowledge--by approving and making student loans 
in huge numbers--while other institutions were reluctant to do so.
  Mr. Hartley is married to Billie Boyd, formerly of Chandler, Texas, 
and they were blessed with two children, Jane Hartley Coker and Patrick 
Hartley. Their hearts were broken when Patrick died. He will always be 
loved and remembered. Bill is affiliated with Marvin United Methodist 
Church and is an active participant on the Church's Administrative 
Committee.
  Among his many professional and civic responsibilities and 
memberships are his positions as State Membership Chairman for the 
American Bankers Association, Chairman of the Texas Bankers Insurance 
Services Company in Austin, Texas, and Claims and Underwriting 
Committee Member for Banclnsure in Oklahoma City. At the local level, 
he serves as Director and Past President of the Tyler, Texas Chamber of 
Commerce, a Trustee for the R.W Fair Foundation, Director and Executive 
Committee Member for the University of Texas at Tyler, Development and 
Council Member at the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, 
Trustee and Executive Committee Member for the Texas Chest Foundation, 
and a Development Council Member for Tyler Junior College Foundation.
  Additionally, Mr. Hartley gives his time as Director of the East 
Texas Medical Center Regional Health Facilities and the East Texas 
Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, Director and Past President 
of the Texas Rose Festival in Tyler, Texas, an Advisory Council Member 
for the Patent Service Center, Inc., Director of the Smith County 
Industrial Development Corporation, and as Director for the Tyler-Smith 
County Library Foundation, Inc.
  Mr. Hartley is involved with numerous philanthropic deeds, but among 
these, his exemplary service as a trustee and member of the executive 
committee of the Texas College Board of Trustees is being recognized 
today. He has been instrumental in bringing major gifts to the College 
during a very critical fundraising period, and in 1996 alone, Mr. 
Hartley secured more than $600,000 for Texas College's retirement debt. 
It is generous efforts like these that warranted his receipt of the 
T.B. Butler Award--Tyler's Most Outstanding Citizen award in 1992.
  Sometimes when an individual is so noted, has such a high community, 
state, and national profile, is sought out for support from everyone 
who makes a precinct race--on up to our own fine President George W. 
Bush--their human traits are lost in the hustle and bustle of guiding a 
huge and successful financial empire, serving on Boards and Committees, 
traversing our nation for speeches, meetings, and organizations--
sometimes we miss out on the human aspect of a great one among us. Bill 
Hartley has always taken the time, and still takes the time, to put 
family first. He is a kind and loving Father to Jane, her husband 
Michael, and his grandson Hartley. He spent unending days and hours 
with Patrick during his lifetime--giving of himself, with Billie--and 
remembers Patrick's lifetime by organizing and supporting a trust fund 
in Patrick's memory. You will never say ``Bill Hartley did so and 
so''--you always say ``Bill and Billie did so and so.''
  As we near the end of this Congressional year--let us adjourn in 
honor of and in appreciation of one who fits the overused term--he's a 
``giver'' and not a ``taker.'' God Bless Bill Hartley and those he 
holds dear.

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