Mosie Holley Selected as 2024 ATHENA Leadership Award Finalist

We’re excited to share that Central National Bank’s Mary R. (Mosie) Holley was recently announced as one of five finalists for the 2024 ATHENA Leadership Award. The award, which has been presented locally since 2018, celebrates “women who achieve excellence in their professions, serve the community in a meaningful way, and help other women reach their full potential.”

Mosie and the four other finalists will sit on a panel at the Leading Waco Women Serving Summit on November 21st, and the award recipient will be announced at this event.  The summit is hosted by the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce. The four other finalists include: Nancy Goodnight (IRONMAN), Julie Hays (KWTX TV), Rachel Pate (Cen-Tex African American Chamber of Commerce), and Stephanie Peters (Cargill).

A few months ago, we asked Mosie to share some of her story with us for a Women in Business feature in the Wacoan. In conjunction with her selection as a finalist for the ATHENA Award, we thought it might be appropriate to share that interview with you.

Forward-thinking, creative, and driven—these words are used by those who know her to describe Mosie Holley, CFO of Central National Bank. She has an innovative approach and eye for detail, and these qualities have allowed Mosie to excel in her role over the last 25 years. We sat down with Mosie to ask her about her time working at CNB.

What did you do before you came to CNB? 
I worked in public accounting for 13 years before I came to the bank. That’s where I learned the craft. You don’t do anything without putting a set of work papers together. When we first got to the accounting department, there were no personal computers. It was a big tablet. Think about an Excel worksheet, but it was paper. A business would bring in a stack of checks that they had written, and you put in amounts in a “cell.” You had to learn how to do a Ten Key. You had to add the numbers with a Ten Key because you didn’t have a computer. When personal computers came in, people thought they wouldn’t need accountants anymore. That was not the case.

Tell us about your family. 
I’m married to Jim Holley, and I have three daughters – Joanna, Caroline, and Catherine.  Joanna is the oldest, Caroline is in the middle, and Catherine is the youngest. Joanna lives in West, Caroline lives in Waco, and Catherine is in Austin. I have three grandbabies. Joanna has Luke, 16, Adeline is 14 (almost 15), and Piper, 11.

I credit the support from my family for my ability to work and serve others.

Mosie, you are involved in several non-profit organizations. Tell me about a couple of the organizations you are currently involved in. 
[It’s important to note that Mosie has driven for Meals on Wheels for 13 years, and she currently serves as the board president. She also sits on the MCC Foundation Board, and she is a fierce advocate for access to education. Those are just two of the organizations Mosie currently serves. Her volunteer efforts have spanned many years and several different organizations].

I really like Meals on Wheels. I’ve delivered to many different areas of Waco. I deliver meals every Friday. It’s fun.

I feel like MCC is such a jewel because this is one way that college can be affordable for people in McLennan County. I love places like TSTC and MCC because you can go there and learn a skill and be a professional, and you can come out and make a living. I also really like the music department and theatre department at MCC.

Why did you choose to start getting involved in community organizations?
I like to meet people. I really like what these organizations do. Organizations would ask me [to join] because I have accounting skills, and I can read a financial statement. A lot of these organizations really need that skill. If I’m sitting on a board and I am giving the financial report, you are going to understand what the financial position is. I want people to be able to follow along. You also need to compare your financial reports. If you don’t compare it to something, you have no idea where you are going. You have to keep score. If you don’t keep score, you can never get better. This is what my husband taught me. I would ask him, “Why do I have to keep this golf score?” He told me, “You will never get better if you don’t keep score.” And that is a fact. When I started keeping score at golf, I did get a little better. You have to always measure yourself. I look at myself as someone who keeps score in order to get better.

What are some of your hobbies?
I used to play golf, but I don’t have time to do that very much anymore. I walk, but I also like to work in the garden. I like planting things. I come from a long line of farmers. My mom was a florist. I love art. I like pretty things. I like jewelry.

Favorite City?
Aspen or Carmel-By-The-Sea in California.

Favorite thing to Do?
Have a nice dinner somewhere.

Favorite restaurant of all time? 
La Cirque in Las Vegas.

Favorite type of food. 
French food. La Cirque is a French restaurant.

Place you would most like to visit. 
Mont Blanc or Normandy.

Central National Bank is honored to have Mary R. Mosie Holley as part of the team. She is a dedicated professional with a heart for service, and we value and appreciate her leadership.