On March 5, Wichita Falls-based American National Bank & Trust announced key hires and promotions across multiple locations. This news comes in addition to the bank’s recent announcement that Craig Berry is succeeding Dwight Berry in the role of president; Dwight Berry will continue serving as chief executive officer and Craig Berry will continue as chief lending officer in addition to his new position as president.
“As we continue to grow, it is essential to recognize our existing leaders while welcoming new expertise to the family,” Craig Berry says. “These new additions reflect our commitment to building a team that is dedicated to our customers and our communities.”
New Employees:
- TJ Hurt, executive vice president/chief technology officer, Wichita Falls; and
- Kena Baxley, senior vice president/fiduciary real estate asset manager, Dallas.
Promoted Employees:
- Judy Leveridge, executive vice president/chief risk officer, Denton;
- Paul Scheurer, executive vice president/director of correspondent banking, Fort Worth;
- Matt Tucker, executive vice president, Fort Worth;
- Damon Whatley, executive vice president, Wichita Falls;
- Garrett Betts, senior vice president/portfolio manager, Wichita Falls;
- Donna Heaton, senior vice president/human resources director, Wichita Falls;
- Rhona Kelton, senior vice president, Wichita Falls;
- Travis Garrett, vice president/branch manager, loan officer, Quanah;
- Francis Ortiz, vice president/call center manager, Wichita Falls; and
- Ashley Wylie, vice president/lobby service manager, Wichita Falls.
American National Bank & Trust’s new executive vice president/chief technology officer, TJ Hurt, is a senior technology and information security executive with more than 20 years of experience supporting community banks. Throughout his career—which includes owning an IT consulting firm and serving as a senior leader for a $2.7 billion community bank—Hurt has built a reputation for strengthening security and modernizing technology in ways that directly enable day-to-day operations.
A Texas Tech University alumnus and certified information security manager, Hurt also holds numerous specialized certifications. A certificate in cybersecurity, identity and authentication from the University of Memphis is a Certified Banking Security Executive (CBSE) and holds Microsoft, NIST and FEMA designations. Nationally, Hurt is a member of InfraGard, an FBI program partnering with private-sector professionals to protect U.S. critical infrastructure. He is also a committed leader in his community, serving on the boards of Lubbock Young Life and the American Windmill Museum, as well as the Lubbock ISD School Library advisory council.
Judy Leveridge was recently promoted to executive vice president/chief risk officer. She brings more than 35 years of experience in the banking industry, with an extensive background spanning credit, risk management, operations, compliance and regulatory relations. She also spent five years as a bank examiner for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Arkansas State Bank Department.
Leveridge holds a BSBA degree in finance and banking from the University of Arkansas. She is deeply committed to her community, having served as a board member for the Salvation Army for 10 years. She is also a graduate of Leadership Denton.
Established in 1976 and celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, American National Bank & Trust serves Texas communities from the Red River to the Gulf Coast.
