CAPAHA BANK OBSERVES ITS OWN PRESIDENT'S DAY

Today is "President's Day."

February is a presidential month -- Abe Lincoln's birthday was Feb. 12, and George Washington's birthday is Feb. 22 -- so the powers-that-be decided to split the difference and establish the third Monday of the month as Presidents Day, honoring both.

Eventually, Presidents Day became a national holiday to honor all presidents of the United States.

Banks, businesses, schools and other groups closed their doors in observance of the special holiday.

That includes Capaha Banks at Cape Girardeau and at Tamms and Cairo in Illinois.

The Capaha Bank group held a "President's Day" of its own last week, marking the 25th year John R. Abercrombie has served as president of Capaha Bank.

In this era of mergers and changing of executives, remaining with one banking system a quarter of a century is a feat in itself.

Special president's day receptions were held at the three banks -- at Cairo Thursday, Tamms Friday morning, Cape Girardeau Friday afternoon, with numerous Abercrombie friends and customers in attendance.

The years do go by fast, says Abercrombie, who is in his 26th year as president.

Abercrombie, who was working with the Zerox Corp. in Texas before returning to his home town of Tamms, in July 1993, assumed the presidency of the Tamms Bank in January 1994.

"Tamms was our only location then," said Abercrombie. "Our total assets were about $4 million." The bank offered basic banking services -- savings accounts, checking accounts, certificates of deposits and basic loans services.

"We had five employees at the time," said Abercrombie.

A quarter-century later, Tamms Bank is Capaha Bank, $60 million strong, with electronic and computerized improvements, new sites, greater convenience, and an operations center, and more than 40 associates.

The Capaha look:

-- Capaha Bank facility at 3168 William St., in Cape Girardeau.

-- Banking facility at Second and Russell, Tamms.

-- Banking facility at 2801 Sycamore St., Cairo.

-- An Operations Center at 1 S. Main, in Cape Girardeau.

Capaha Bank offers advanced delivery and service systems -- ATM and Check Cards -- 24-hour telephone banking and other services to create more convenience and choices.

"Through all this, personalized customer service has been the foundation of the operation's success," said Abercrombie. "And it will continue to be our focus. We know our customers and name and by character."

Tamms State Bank opens is first branch office 15 years ago, in 1983, at 2801 Sycamore.

The name change to Capaha came in 1997 when it opened its operation in Cape Girardeau.

"The bank services offerings included some of the same accounts offered in 1974," said Abercrombie.

The move to Cape Girardeau was a two-year effort for Abercrombie, who never gave up the desire to open here.

"We're open," said Abercrombie, as he unlocked the doors to the new facility at 3168 William on June 9, 1997. "This is something we have looked forward to for two years.

Abercrombie, who has lived in Cape Girardeau 25 years, said a branch in Cape Girardeau was first considered by Tamms State Bank in 1995.

The banking industry in Cape Girardeau was a changing one then.

Union Planters purchased Capital Bank, Mercantile Bank purchased Amerifirst Bank. During the same era, NationsBank acquired Boatmen's Bank, Mercantile and Roosevelt Bank announced a merger agreement, Alliance Bank and Bank of Missouri had filed for a new-bank charter at Cape Girardeau, and People's Bank of Altenburg put a branch at Jackson.

Tamms State Bank first applied for permission to convert from a state bank to a national charter and a new name.

"We felt `Capaha' would be a good name," said Abercrombie. "It's a familiar name to Cape Girardeau, and it's not a name that has been overused. We like it."

The Capaha Bank site had been vacant since early 1994 when Savings of America was purchased by Roosevelt Bank and moved into the facility used by Roosevelt Bank.

"We're glad to join the Cape Girardeau banking industry," said Abercrombie. "I think we have a great location as a new player in the market,

The new bank has resulted in a number of new jobs in the community. "I feel we put together a great team to start operations here," said Abercrombie. "A number of our new personnel have worked together in other banks."

Capaha Bank (Tamms State Bank) has been in operation 44 years, receiving its state charter in 1955.

J. Reid Abercrombie, John Abercrombie's father, was a prime mover in organizing the original bank. "At the time, my father was a Tamms businessman," said Abercrombie. "Although he had nothing to do with the bank operation at that time, he recognized the importance of a bank for Tamms."

It wasn't until 18 years later, in 1973, that J. Reid and John Abercrombie purchased the bank.