HR1190 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1190 LRB094 20225 HSS 58212 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Soy Capital Bank in Decatur celebrates its 50th anniversary this year; and

WHEREAS, Soy Capital Bank opened its doors on June 9, 1956, and was the first new bank to open in Decatur in 65 years; it was organized by a local attorney, Walter T. Morey, and 29 other businessmen who decided that the East Eldorado location, rather than the downtown area, would be a great place to start a bank; and

WHEREAS, The bank began with Ed Curtis as President until 1958; Dwight Nelson took over from 1958 to 1966, Ed Arseneault from 1966 to 1989, and Frits Pronk from 1989 to 1994; Robert C. Smith has been President since 1994; and

WHEREAS, Soy Capital was the first bank to provide many options to the Decatur Community, including interest paid on any size deposit on a savings account; credit life insurance on all installment loans with no charge to the customer; parking adjacent to the bank; extended banking hours, including Friday night hours; and the annual meeting included an invitation to news media (January 1963); it was the only bank in 1956 with all women tellers; the bank offered the "Soy Charge Plan" with local merchants; developed a product called "Auto Save", which allowed a certain portion of interest paid on a car loan to be given back to the customer once the note was paid; and senior citizens accounts; and

WHEREAS, Soy Capital Bank was a very forward thinking new bank in 1956; over the years, the bank has expanded its financial services to include the following: a trust expansion and savings & loan acquisitions in 1990; a Raymond James Financial Services division in 1997; expanded branches in Decatur in 1998 and 2000; Ag Services in 1999; JL Hubbard Insurance and Bonds in 2002; a Bloomington and Forsyth branch in 2005; and it will expand in the Peoria area in 2006; and

WHEREAS, The bank's vision for the future is to be the premier financial services provider in Central Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize Soy Capital Bank on the occasion of its 50th anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Soy Capital Bank as an expression of our esteem.