On November 20, the board of Abilene-based First Financial Bankshares Inc. announced promotions for First Financial Bankshares and First Financial Bank. These promotions—part of the company’s ongoing management succession plan the board has been working on for several years—will be effective January 1, 2025.
Ron Butler II was promoted to vice chair of the executive management committee of First Financial Bankshares Inc., and will continue to serve as executive vice president/chief administrative officer of the company. He has been with the company for 32 years, serving as senior vice president of commercial lending, president and CEO of the Eastland division, president and CEO of the Stephenville region and CEO of the Abilene region. Butler holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and a master’s degree from Tarleton State University. He is a graduate of SW Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University and the National Commercial Lending School at the University of Oklahoma. Butler currently is chair-elect of the Texas Bankers Association and board chair of ContinueCare Hospital at Hendrick. He previously served as board chair of the Abilene Industrial Foundation, Abilene Chamber of Commerce, Stephenville Chamber of Commerce and YMCA of Abilene. In 2023, Butler was inducted into the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame and in 2024, he was honored as a distinguished alumnus of Texas Tech University.
David Bailey has been promoted to president of First Financial Bankshares Inc. and First Financial Bank, a position previously held by F. Scott Dueser, who will continue to serve as chief executive officer and chairman of the board of both entities. Bailey has been with the bank for 21 years, having started as a teller and moving up the ladder to become president and CEO of the Eastland division and, later, executive vice president/head of commercial banking for the company. Bailey currently serves as executive vice president/chief banking officer, overseeing all lending and treasury management functions while also serving as co-chair of the service improvement team. Bailey is a graduate of McMurry University, FFIN University and SW Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University. He presently serves as first vice chair of the board of trustees for McMurry University, secretary/treasurer of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, executive board member of the Hendrick Medical Center Foundation and board member of the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra. Previously, he served on multiple boards in Eastland County and has actively served his church in numerous volunteer positions.
The Abilene regional board of First Financial Bank approved the promotion of Marelyn Shedd to chief executive officer of the Abilene region, a position previously held by Ron Butler. She has been with First Financial Bank for 34 years, starting as senior vice president of commercial lending and moving up the ranks to president of the Abilene region in 2012. She was selected as the bank’s first female Abilene region president and now will be the first female CEO in the region’s history. Shedd is a graduate of Baylor University and has been honored as a “Women of Outstanding Achievement” and a Business Hall of Fame honoree. In addition, she received the Paul Harris Fellowship Award from the Rotary Club. She currently serves on the boards of Abilene Christian University and Abilene Arts Alliance. She previously served as the chair of the Community Foundation of Abilene and the Hendrick Medical Center Foundation. She also served on the boards of the Texas Bankers Association, United Way of Abilene, Hendrick Home for Children and the Development Corp. of Abilene.
Marshall Morris was elected president of the Abilene region, a position previously held by Marelyn Shedd. Morris joined the bank 14 years ago as a credit analyst and has risen through the ranks to executive vice president/senior relationship manager for the Abilene region of First Financial Bank. Morris is a graduate of Texas A&M University, the SW Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University and FFIN University. He has been the chairman of the board for the Abilene Chamber of Commerce and the Abilene A&M Club. He has served on the boards of Texas Trails Council for Scouts of America, Abilene Young Professionals, Frontier Texas, Junior Achievement, United Way of Abilene, Young Life Committee, Abilene Preservation League and St. John’s Episcopal School. Morris is also a graduate of Leadership Abilene and was included on the “Top 20 Under 40” list by Abilene Reporter-News.
“Several of our senior officers are transitioning to oversight roles to allow the next generation of leaders to grow and prosper,” Dueser says. “These promotions are well deserved and these individuals are well prepared to move into positions of higher importance. As you can tell, those of us who have been here for a long time are not leaving; we will be here to provide continuity, support and mentorship.”
Established in 1889, First Financial Bank operates 79 locations in Texas. First Financial Bankshares Inc. also operates First Financial Trust & Asset Management Co., with nine locations, and First Technology Services Inc., a technology operating company.
