Assistant Vice President, Small-Business and Real Estate Loan Officer, First Arkansas Bank & Trust
Clara Weatherley has always believed that if there is something one wants to learn or accomplish, it is not enough to simply sit back and wait for it to happen.
“You have to be willing to raise your hand, ask questions and put in the effort,” she said.
That mindset has taken Weatherley far over the course of her banking career, most recently to the position of loan officer at First Arkansas Bank & Trust in Greenbrier.
“I have always dreamed of this job since I started banking more than 10 years ago,” she said. “It is so surreal seeing all my hard work pay off. I truly love my job and the people I work with.”
Weatherley’s interest in banking and loan work is about more than numbers. As she continues to grow professionally, she said her aim is to help support the growth of her community. There are few moments as sweet for Weatherley as driving through her hometown and seeing the businesses, homes and projects that she had a hand in bringing to fruition. She said she is proud to see Greenbrier flourishing and looks forward to what the future holds.
“Every opportunity, challenge and success has taught me something, but so have the people I’ve met,” she said. “I’m grateful for those who poured into me, and I hope I’ve been able to do the same for others. I think that’s how we all keep growing.”
Lessons in hard work and its rewards have come just as readily outside of the office, where Weatherley and her husband raise goats for 4-H and FFA projects for children in multiple states. She also serves as co-livestock director for the Faulkner County Fair, where she said she has the opportunity to work alongside dedicated volunteers, families and exhibitors.
“Watching kids put countless hours into caring for their animals and then seeing their hard work pay off at fair time is incredibly rewarding,” Weatherley said. “Agriculture has taught me the value of hard work, commitment and community, and I am passionate about helping the next generation experience those same lessons.”
