Michael Atkins, a longtime owner of Odessa-based SouthWest Bank, passed away on October 8. He was 77. He was an esteemed lawyer and respected member of the Odessa community.
After serving as a county attorney in Odessa for two terms early in his career, Atkins went into private practice, culminating with the firm Atkins, Hollman, Jones, Peacock, Lewis & Lyon, for which he continued to practice until his retirement this past January. He was elected mayor of Odessa twice, serving from 1996 to 2000. Atkin’s partnership with SouthWest Bank began in 1999 when he became a partial owner and joined the bank’s board of directors.
Throughout his career, Atkins held numerous leadership positions and received various honors, including president of the Ector County Bar Association, board member of the State Bar of Texas, board of trustees member for the Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism, president and campaign chairman of United Way of Odessa and president of the Odessa Industrial Development Corp. In 1999, Atkins was named “Odessa Citizen of the Year.”
Established in 1999, SouthWest Bank has banking offices in Odessa, Midland and Lubbock.
