By Leonardo Rosas, Dallas Business Journal
Robert Hulsey, the longtime CEO of American National Bank of Texas, is doubling down on independence as he and bank President Chris Cronin position the financial institution for the next era.
Cronin was recently promoted from chief operating officer to president, but Hulsey has made clear he isn’t stepping down — at least not anytime soon.
Terrell‑based American National Bank of Texas is one of the local players benefitting from the “Y’all Street” boom, which has reshaped the banking landscape through a wave of consolidation, including Huntington’s $1.9 billion purchase of Veritex last summer and Fifth Third’s $11 billion acquisition of Comerica in February. Against that backdrop, ANBTX remains one of the last independent, locally headquartered banks in North Texas. That means its leaders hold key insights into one of the most dynamic and evolving banking landscapes in the country.
The bank had $5.5 billion in assets and $6.5 billion in deposits as of March 31, according to a quarterly filing with the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council. ANBTX ranked 14th among all banks for DFW deposit market share as of June 30, 2025, according to the latest Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. data. Due to consolidation over the last year, ANBTX now stands as the fourth‑largest bank headquartered in Dallas‑Fort Worth, after Texas Capital, NexBank and PlainsCapital.
“We really feel like North Texas deserves the opportunity to have a sizable, locally owned and controlled financial institution,” Cronin said.
Cronin, a nearly 38‑year insider whose family ties to ANBTX go back to the 1930s, is taking on the day‑to‑day presidency while Hulsey steps back to focus on strategy, capital and leadership development. In their “quest” to stay independent, the pair said they are focused on building a deeper bench of future leaders, repricing the bank’s balance sheet to lift margins and selectively adding branches.
As out‑of‑town banks come calling, Hulsey said privately owned ANBTX has fielded its share of interest. He said around 30 institutions have approached him about buying the bank, with the conversations often centering on succession planning.
“We’ve got an old CEO, so that’s always something people ask — what about succession, and who’s going to come along?” Hulsey said.
However, Hulsey said he has a “pretty good” succession plan in place that he feels “comfortable with” while also pointing out he has no plans to retire anytime soon.
Hulsey, who recently turned 80, has led the bank since 1989 after joining in 1973. The longtime bank executive said he feels healthy, has a “long runway” and can see himself as CEO for another five to 10 years, adding that he recently received a 50‑year banker award — the third generation in his family to do so — and expects to stay involved as long as he’s physically able. He joked that longevity is “part of our makeup,” noting his father retired at 95, his grandfather at 92 and his great‑grandfather died after roughly 60 years in banking.
Cronin’s appointment was motivated by the “feeling that there were some really important projects that I needed to be involved in a lot more than I was, and I did not have the time to do it, and therefore I need-ed to reorganize the organization,” Hulsey said.
Those projects range from profitability improvements to taking wealth management “to another level” and managing capital for the bank’s private shareholder base. ANBTX is privately held, with shares concentrated among long-time families that have passed stock down for four or five generations. As part of its “business and shareholder succession” work, the bank’s leadership is mapping out how to rotate those old-er shareholders over time — including lining up new investors when families need liquidity — so ownership can transition without forcing a sale of the institution.
Hulsey also said Cronin was ready for a larger role.
After guiding the bank “through a lot of challenges and a lot of growth,” Cronin said the idea of Hulsey leaving big shoes to fill “is an understatement.”
“The main thing that our employees needed to know, and I think are comforted by, is Robert has made it very clear that he’s not stepping away, and anybody that knows him knows that he’ll never step away,” Cronin said.
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