JP Stone was Honored to receive the “Business of the Year”
Award by ENMU Foundation

James Polk Stone Community Bank, originally founded in 1906 as Portales
National Bank, holds a special place in the history of Eastern New Mexico
University and the surrounding region. As ENMU Foundation’s very first
Business of the year in 2002, the bank was recognized for its steadfast
support of students, athletics, and community programs. More than two
decades later, the honor is bestowed once again, reflecting both the enduring
generosity of the bank and the remarkable legacy of its longtime president,
David L. Stone.

Born in Clovis and raised in Portales, David Stone graduated from Portales
High School in 1959 and went on to earn a degree in finance from the
University of Texas. After beginning his banking career in Dallas, he returned
home in 1981 to lead the family bank as president. Over the next four
decades, he transformed a two-branch, $30 million institution into what is
today a thriving community bank with nine branches and over $400 million in
assets.

David was more than a banker. Known for his 6’8” stature and larger-than-life
personality, he was a mentor, advocate, and community champion. He believed
deeply in helping others achieve the American Dream, living out the words he
printed on his own business cards: ‘A Good Man to Have on Your Side.’ His
leadership extended far beyond Roosevelt County, serving as the founding chair
of the Independent Community Bankers of New Mexico and later as a national
officer for the Independent Community Bankers of America.

Closer to home, David and the bank’s employees supported generations of
ENMU students and athletes. From scholarships and theatre productions to
rodeo and Greyhound athletics, their gifts enhanced both the university and the
wider Portales community. The bank’s creative giving even funded scoreboards
across ENMU and Portales schools, ensuring that athletics at every level could
thrive

 

David passed away in January 2025, leaving behind not only a bank but a legacy
of leadership, philanthropy, and service. His daughter, Robin Willingham, now
serves as president of James Polk Stone Community Bank and continues the
family’s commitment to ENMU and to communities across New Mexico.
By honoring James Polk Stone Community Bank for a second time, the ENMU
foundation celebrates both the institution’s impact and the memory of a
remarkable leader whose influence will endure for generations