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LAWTON, OKLA. - June 30, 2020 - The Board of Directors of City National Bank & Trust (CNB) of Lawton, Oklahoma has announced the retirement of Executive Vice President and Chief Loan Officer, Paul Ellwanger. Ellwanger will retire on June 30, 2020 after 44 years of dedicated service to CNB and the communities it serves across Oklahoma and Kansas.

Ellwanger, a Lawton native, is a 1976 graduate of Cameron University. While attending his last semester of college in the Spring of 1976, he began his career with CNB. The then-22-year-old worked as an Audit Trainee and became Auditor of CNB, JRMB (the bank’s holding company) and FSNB (CNB’s sister bank). Between 1982 and 1987, Ellwanger held a number of positions: Assistant Trust Officer, Vice President & Trust Officer, the Branch Manager of CNB’s first branch in Lawton, and Vice President & Chief Financial Officer. In October of 1987, he joined CNB’s loan department and about two years later became the Senior VP/Director of Loans. Ellwanger has served as the bank’s Executive Vice President since January 2004 and Chief Loan Officer was added to his title in 2010.  In his most recent role, he has been responsible for the overall activity of CNB’s loan department, its loan officers, origination and collection of loans, grading of credits and more.

Ellwanger is an active member of the community. He is currently a member of the City of Lawton Pension Trust Authority and has served as the Chairman of the Comanche County Industrial Development Authority for 12 years. He is on the executive committee of the Lawton-Fort Sill Economic Development Corporation, serving as the committee’s treasurer. Since 1990, Ellwanger has also been a member of the CNB Board of Directors.

He has previously been involved in a number local organizations, including the Lawton Food Bank; Hospice of SW Oklahoma; Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club; Lawton Chapter of Ambucs; Bank Administration Institute (BAI); United Way of Southwest Oklahoma. Separately, Ellwanger has also taught banking classes at Cameron University and at the Great Plains Technology Center.

CNB is a family-owned bank and Ellwanger said he believes those family values are evident in how employees are treated - like family. He said his years at City National Bank have been rewarding.

“Who would’ve ever thought that I would be in the same organization for 44 years? I started when I was 22 years old. I knew I wanted to stay in Lawton and applied to several banks and was hired here (CNB). Immediately, I enjoyed the positions, opportunities, people and coaching and mentoring - it just seemed to fit - and it fit throughout my entire career.”

Ellwanger, 66, currently resides in Lawton with his wife, Ruth. Together, they have two sons, and one grandchild. He said he looks forward to retirement.

“I look forward to spending more time with family and developing closer relationships with them. I hope to become a better husband, father, and brother. I will be spending more time enjoying the present instead of preparing for the future. I also look forward to developing new friendships.”

CNB organized a retirement gathering to honor Ellwanger on Tuesday, June 30 at the City National Bank headquarters in Lawton, Oklahoma. City National Bank thanks Ellwanger for his decades of customer service and loyalty.

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