The Real News Louisiana

Natchitoches, Louisiana – BOM Bank President & CEO Ken Hale, along with his children and BOM Bank employees Ragan and Drake Hale, and Board Members Kay Foshee and Leanne Foreman, and Kay’s granddaughter, Thea Foshee are pictured with the American flag that once flew over our Montgomery branch in the 1940s—before Alaska and Hawaii became states. This treasured flag has now been carefully framed to preserve it for generations to come.

For our BOM Bank family, this flag holds even deeper meaning. Former BOM Bank President Merwin Wardlow—father of current Board Member Kay Foshee and Johnny Wardlow, grandfather of Board Member Leanne Foreman, and great-grandfather of Thea Foshee and older brother of Ken Hale’s grandfather, Kent Wardlow—was wounded while serving as a WWII paratrooper. He lost his leg in combat, and it was his service and sacrifice that inspired Ken’s grandfather to save this flag. Greg Brian, current BOM Bank Board Member also pictured, is the son of Fay, sister of Merwin and Kent. 

We are proud to honor both this piece of American history and the Wardlow family’s legacy of service and dedication.


About BOM Bank: Established in 1903 in Montgomery, Louisiana, BOM Bank has grown from a local institution with $15,000 in capital to a community-focused bank with over $1.4 billion in assets. Serving more than 32,500 customers across 26 branches in Louisiana and Texas, BOM Bank offers a range of financial services, including banking, insurance, and investment opportunities through its subsidiary, BOM Financial Services. With a deep commitment to community engagement and employee development, BOM Bank continues to build on its legacy of trust and service. Learn more at bofm.com or follow us on social media @bomest1903. BOM – a face you know, a bank you can trust.