It’s not every day that you hear a banker is planning on retiring and becoming a fulltime artist, but President and CEO of Brady National Bank B. Terry Keltz is planning on doing just that.
Keltz, who grew up in Matador, Motley County, says art has been a lifelong passion of his.
However, with a master’s degree in business management from Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, he kept his artwork on the side while working in management. Keltz began his career as a rural community hospital administrator and then transitioned into banking in the hopes of having fewer state and federal regulations. He soon learned that wasn’t necessarily the case, but he stuck with banking, working at First National Bank of Lockney and First National Bank of Plainview before joining Brady National Bank. His favorite part of the job is managing. Keltz also attended the Graduate School of Banking of the South at LSU.
In the community
Keltz is currently involved in his community by serving as president of the McCulloch County Hospital District board of directors and serving on the board of the hospital management system that operates the hospital. He’s also had the honor of judging the World Championship BBQ Goat Cookoff held in Brady each Labor Day, a competition his bank sponsors.
About Brady National Bank
Brady National Bank received its original bank charter on July 8, 1905, with local rancher and businessman F.W. Henderson, the organizer, owning controlling interest. F.M. “Buck” Richards, a civically minded Texas cattleman and dog and horse lover, served as its first president from 1905 until his death in 1943.
Shortly after opening, Brady National Bank opened accounts with the Fort Worth National Bank, the Hanover National Bank of New York, the National Bank of Commerce, St. Louis and with banks in surrounding towns. Reserves were maintained in gold and in approved city banks. Currency was shipped in from city banks, and coin was ordered through the assistant treasurer of the United States in New York and was shipped direct from New Orleans, Louisiana, or the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, mint.
At its first annual meeting of stakeholders in 1906, seven directors were elected. In early 1907, capital was increased to $75,000 to keep up with community and business demand, causing Henderson to lose controlling interest in the bank.
“Brady National Bank exists to serve the needs of its customers!” Keltz said. “Providing highly personalized, professional customer service is our first consideration in everything we do.”
Along with supporting numerous local fundraising events, Brady National Bank is a strong supporter of its public schools and is actively involved in financial literacy education. The bank recently teamed up with National Ranching Heritage Center of Texas Tech University and Brady Elementary School to launch a literacy program based on an award-winning children’s book series about “Hank the Cowdog” by John R. Erickson. The book, which focuses on ranching, teaches students a variety of subjects, including math, science, geography, art and social studies.
Brady National Bank focuses on honesty in all of its dealings — from customers to owners, the staff seeks to only participate in dealings that are forthright and honest.
The bank serves numerous non-resident recreational land owners, who have taken advantage of opportunities resulting from large owners sectioning off their land into smaller tracts to sell to hunters and investors.
Life as an artist
Recently, Keltz was commissioned by the sister of the bank’s board chairman, Joe Kim King, to paint Kim when he was the “Masked Rider” at Texas Tech University.
“It was quite challenging as she wanted it to be a surprise Christmas gift and secrecy was a must,” Keltz said. “With my studio being on the square in downtown Brady it would be easy for Kim to spot the painting so I had to turn my easel around to protect the confidentiality of the painting in process.”
They were able to pull it off, surprising Kim with a painting to remind him of his college days.
“Art has been a life-long passion and will soon be my full-time career after retiring from banking in another year or so,” Keltz says.
While Keltz plans on retiring soon, he won’t be hidden — his art studio, featuring paintings in watercolor, acrylics and oils as well as sculptures — is on the square in downtown Brady.
Keltz and his wife, Toni, have three grown children and six grandchildren. Toni is a registered nurse, working as a public health nurse with the Texas Department of State Health Services.