Diane Taylor knows what hard work is all about. Besides being my mother, Taylor has come a long way since she first moved to Artesia in 1995.
On February 6, 1995, Taylor went to work at the First National Bank as a switchboard operator.
After only one and a half years, she applied for a position in the trust department as a secretary.
Within four months at that position, Taylor became the trust operations clerk. Her daily routine included balancing the department portfolio. She was also responsible for millions of dollars each day.
Taylor's breakthrough came last April. She was named the Trust Operations Officer. This put her in charge of all the operations of the trust departments at the First National Banks in Artesia, Roswell and Las Cruces. She had to work through three years of Cannon Trust schooling in different cities. First, she went to Boston to Boston University.
Then it was off to Charlotte, North Carolina, where she attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
She wrapped up her schooling at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.
Through all the schooling and hard work, Taylor received her CTFA (Certified Trust Financial Advisor) designation.
In order to keep her certification, Taylor must complete 45 hours of additional schooling every three years. "I credit my success to hard work, dedication, personal sacrifice and the extreme desire to succeed," said Taylor. "I give recognition to the trust department manager and senior officer, Susan Holmes, and First National Bank senior management for noticing my hard work."
"My goal is to continue to work at First National Bank and one day work my way up to senior management in the trust department," said Taylor.
Taylor is married to Robby Taylor, who is employed by J.W. Drilling. She has three children, Charlie, an eighth grader at Park Junior High School; Patricia, a junior at Artesia High School; and myself, Lance, the sports editor at the Artesia Daily Press.
Taylor's parents are Don and Betty Cobb of Midland, Texas, and the late Patsy Bowles of Lovington.
She works in the trust department with Michele Allman (Trust Department Secretary), Jaime McDaniel (Trust Operations Clerk) and Susan Holmes (Senior Trust Officer).
Taylor's continuing hard work makes a difference at First National Bank. Besides being a great Trust Officer, her job as a mom isn't too shabby, either.