Then & Now: Wheaton’s relationships are key to career at Arvest Bank

Arvest Bank’s hiring freeze didn’t deter Larry Wheaton when he graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1991 with a degree in administrative management. He was determined to work for the bank. So, he applied every week.

“I saw the same person every week for three months because back then it wasn’t online,” he said. “You actually showed up. So, when the position opened up, they said, ‘Come on in. It’s yours.’”

Wheaton started with Arvest Bank in 1991 fixing ATM machines. His subsequent roles included data entry, new accounts and loans, and branch manager. He was promoted to senior vice president and branch administrator in 2003. The Northwest Arkansas Business Journal named him to the Forty Under 40 class in 2007.

Originally from Harrison, Wheaton said relationships have been key to his career.

“It’s been a great fit, because I like working with people,” he said. “So many times, people think banking is all about numbers, but in reality, it’s all about people. That’s been something I’ve enjoyed throughout my career —working with people and helping them with different challenges.”

Wheaton’s guiding career philosophy is the golden rule.

“Treat people the way you want to be treated,” he said. “I have found that no truer words have ever been spoken, that if you treat people the way you want them to treat you, things tend to work out pretty well for you.”

Each person Wheaton works with has long-term management experience.

“We have worked together for a long time,” he said. “I think we average 16 years of management experience. I’ve worked with my boss for 34 years, not always in the same position. We all know each other really well and help each other. As a result of that, success comes not just from what I know or just what they know, but us collectively working together to accomplish something. And you see it based on the results and the work efforts that we’ve had together.”

Along those lines Wheaton said he’s learned that “success is not an individual achievement. Success is a group of really good people working hard together to accomplish something that they could never accomplish by themselves.”

As for challenges, Wheaton has found that change is a big one. “When I started, we didn’t have email, and literally, you had a document that was printed out, whatever the announcement or memo was,” he said. “It would literally be printed on a piece of paper and handed to your department. Everyone would read it, initial it, and pass it around. Now, of course, it happens much faster. And with technology and AI, everything is just moving much, much faster, and you are just adapting.”

However, he said, it’s important to remember that it’s still “a relationship business” as you continually adapt to all the new technology and the speed of business.

When challenges come, Wheaton said he remembers a quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln, “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.’”

“Everything in life is a challenge,” Wheaton said. “Sometimes those challenges are good, and sometimes they are a struggle and challenging. But do you let it beat you down, or do you turn it around and see the positive and grow from it? The goal is to see the positive and what you can learn from it and move on.”

Doing his best and helping others motivates Wheaton. “What’s interesting is every day is unique, and this day will never happen again — ever. If you lived a million years this day is never happening again. And so, you try to enjoy the day and make the most of it.”

Arvest Bank has four rules that Wheaton said resonate with him: “Take great care of your teammates, take great care of your customers, do the right thing and have fun.”

Wheaton is an elder at his church and volunteers there. He enjoys biking, spending time with his wife Angela and his daughter Katelyn, and working on his land near West Fork.