text: Terry Wilkinson has vision. Show him an empty tract of land, and 
  the wheels start turning. 
  
  Wilkinson’s various enterprises have created some of the most prof- 
  itable developments in Southlake, Texas, a once-sleepy town 
  whose name has become synonymous with upscale living and com- 
  merce in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. 
  
  “I’ve been in business on my own since the early ’90s, and a cus- 
  tomer of First Financial Bank in Southlake for about six years,” says 
  Wilkinson. He works with the bank to ﬁnance numerous projects, 
  such as residential developments, ofﬁce buildings and large-scale 
  shopping centers. “Naturally, I work with several banks, but I con- 
  sider First Financial the easiest to work with.” 
  
  Wilkinson believes the bank’s local perspective gives it better 
  vision for what can succeed in the community. That translates into 
  better performance. “I prefer dealing with banks where things 
  don’t have to be sent off to people you’ve never met for a decision. 
  With First Financial, they’ve gotten to know me, and they under- 
  stand my business. 
  
  “First Financial doesn’t seem like a bank that’s owned by an out- 
  of-town company. That’s why they’re my preferred lender.” 