W. Dewey Presley*

Born in 1918 in Wills Point, Texas, Dewey Presley was three when his father died. His mother worked hard to support herself and her two young sons. Even though they endured hard times financially, Presley remembered those years with fondness. "I had a great family," he said. "In retrospect, I don't think my childhood was very tough. I did do a lot of work as a youngster, but most children did at that time. It was just a part of growing up."

Presley helped out by working as a field hand. After working his way though Baylor University, where he majored in accounting, he joined Magnolia Petroleum Company, which later became Mobil Oil. When World War II began, Presley tried to join the U.S. Navy but was rejected because of poor eyesight. At that time, he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he served for the next 10 years.

While working in the FBI's Dallas office, First National Bank, then the largest bank in Texas, offered him a job as an assistant trust officer; he accepted. After 13 years there, the bank named him president; he served in that capacity until 1972. Then a new holding company, First International Bancshares, Inc., was formed, and Presley was named president. Under his direction, the organization grew to be the largest bank group in the Southwest. At 60, Presley complied with the policy he had formerly set and stepped down as a corporate officer. He continued to serve as a consultant and was a member of the bank's board until 1985.

Deeply religious, Presley served his church all his life. Even in college he said, "I found, beyond work and study, I needed to recognize my first responsibility was to God." Presley was a trustee of Baylor University and former chairman of the board of the Baylor University Medical Center.

Presley believed that a life of service offers a great many satisfactions. "There are so many ways a person can become interested and involved in community and church work," he said. "I'm thankful that I've been able to be of assistance to many worthy causes here in Dallas."

His advice to young people was an extension of his beliefs. "Young people need to prepare themselves in every area of life to serve," he said. Presley, who highly valued his Horatio Alger Award, defined success by the way he had contributed his time and resources to quality causes and institutions.