O? Brother, Mathias Still Keeps First State Steady

First State Bank in Huntsville was the only local bank with less than $100 million in assets to break the first quarter’s top 10 best-return-on-assets leaders. Tom Mathias, who retired in January and sold his bank holdings to brother Sam Mathias of Fayetteville, said the institution is benefiting from the same strong interest rate margins that held for the last year or so. Sam Mathias now owns 100 percent of the bank’s stock.

Tom Mathias was succeeded as bank president by Curtis Hutchins who came from Arkansas State Bank in Siloam Springs. The retiring Mathias, 66, had been with the bank for 11 years.

“The performance is just a continuation of what Tom started and Curtis has continued,” Sam Mathias said.

First State, with $68.025 million in assets according to reporting agency Bauer Financial Inc., has about 30 employees and locations in Huntsville, Hindsville and Fayetteville. It recorded a 0.63 percent return on its $73.095 million in 2002 assets.

Arkansas National Bank N.A. (see chart below) was again at the top of the best ROA performers.