Prominent Texas Banking Family Ventures Into Tanglewood With Posh Visions

When Benchmark Bank honchos cut the ribbon in inauguration of their Tanglewood outpost (their first in Houston proper), the scene was more upscale cocktail party than your typical bank opening. Consider the signature cocktails, live music and posh crowd that filled the freestanding structure at 6348 Woodway.

Official opening of this branch of the Plano-based bank expanded on a family banking tradition that began in 1964 when retired oilman Bruce Clardy opened Quinlan State Bank in East Texas. In 1983, the entrepreneur’s grandson, Michael A. Barnett, took the helm as chairman of the family-owned bank that evolved into Benchmark, an entity that includes a title company and private wealth management.

Barnett and his wife, Susie, jetted in for the festivities along with Benchmark CEO Jonathan Filgo, whose wife Megan happens to be the Barnetts’ daughter. They headed the ribbon cutting duties along with Houston-area president Chad Lyons and his wife Katie.

Beyond the ribbon cutting beneath an arch of red and white balloons, the celebration included specialty cocktails including The Banker’s Buzz (a traditional Old Fashioned) and Benchmark Breeze (a Lyons family recipe). Chef Bryant Reckling of True Craft Market & Catering delivered on the hors d’oeuvres that included chicken-fried ribeye bites with whipped potatoes and cream gravy, quail taquitos and Serrano ham crostini.

Chris Martinez, acoustical guitarist and singer, provided background music as the 175 high-powered guests congratulated the bankers and schmoozed with one another.

PC Seen: Stephen and Adele Reckling, director of business development Benchmark Bank; Jack Lyons, senior vice president at Marsh Wortham; philanthropists Isla and T.R. Reckling; Galen and Stephen Reckling of Hightower Capital; Vickie and Guy Barber, vice president of investor relations at Marathon Oil; Betsy and Charles Nettles, president of Tex-Trude; Compass realtor Courtney Robertson; Cissy and Rick Beeler, president of Strauss Systems; Sally and Jason Dillee, senior vice president at CRBE; and Torrey Hawkins, president at Angler Construction.