LOCAL PHOENICIA SPECIALTY FOODS FOUNDERS HONORED WITH HOWARD O. PAYNE AWARD

Texas City, TX – November 2, 2018 – Texas Independent Bancshares and Texas First Bank are pleased to announce the selection of Arpi and Zohrab Tcholakian for the prestigious Howard O. Payne Award. The Tcholakians modestly started Phoenicia Deli on Westheimer Road thirty-five years ago. Since then, the company has grown to three locations and the Tcholakians continue to show significant economic leadership in the Houston area. The Howard O. Payne Award was instituted in 1973 to honor Mr. Payne, a lifelong businessman, who moved to Galveston County in 1957 at the age of 74. Five years later, he helped found First State Bank of Hitchcock and worked there six days a week until the age of 93, earning him the unofficial title of “World’s Oldest Active Banker.” In celebration of his 93rd birthday at the bank, Payne told his well-wishers, “I have no plans for retirement, since I work a six-day week because I find banking an exciting business.” Mr. Payne was still employed full-time when he passed away on July 8, 1977, at the age of 94. First State Bank of Hitchcock, now Texas First Bank, is proud of the communities and people it serves and established this award in his honor to annually recognize a citizen or group of citizens in the bank’s market area who are leaders in the development of the community. Over the last 44 years, the award has been given to several influential figures from many different backgrounds and industries in Houston, Galveston and beyond, including Walter Hall (1973), Emmett F. Lowry (1977), Tilman Fertitta (1996), Lawrence J. Del Papa, Jr. (2010), and Robert L. Moody, Sr. (2014). This year’s honorees, Arpi and Zohrab Tcholakian, fit right in with the group, having shown true leadership in their grocery/import business, as well as building up our community.