Jacksonville-based Austin Bank recently announced two promotions and two new hires.
Billie Mims has been named location president in Kilgore. She has more than 33 years of banking and lending experience focusing primarily on consumer and commercial lending, as well as oversight of loan support personnel. Mims joined the Austin Bank team with the acquisition of City National Bank in 2008. In 2018, she was promoted to senior vice president.
A graduate of Kilgore College and the Texas Tech School of Applied Banking, Mims has received the Foundation of Banking Certificate from the American Institute of Banking and completed the American Bankers Association’s National Commercial Lending School and Graduate Commercial Lending School, both at Southern Methodist University (SMU). Currently attending the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU, she is a member of the 62nd class and will graduate in June 2022.
Mims is a member of the Kilgore Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class 2003. Very active in her community, she is a Junior Achievement volunteer, attends St. Luke’s United Methodist Church and has served on multiple committees and assisted with youth and children’s activities there, and is a life member of the Texas Parent Teacher Association through Kilgore ISD. This is in addition to years of service with Xi Alpha Delta Omega and Xi Pi Mu chapters of Beta Sigma Phi, the Kilgore Boys and Girls Club, East Texas Builders Association, American Business Women’s Association and Kilgore Chamber of Commerce. Mims is a long-standing member of the Austin Bank scholarship committee.
Dustin Beavers has been elected location president in Nacogdoches. In his 15 years of banking experience, he has held management positions in both retail and lending operations. Beavers joined the Austin Bank Nacogdoches office as assistant vice president and relationship manager in 2015. He was promoted to vice president in 2020.
Beavers attended Tyler Junior College. Active in his community, he serves as president-elect of the Fredonia Rotary Club, a member of the Nacogdoches Jaycees, director and volunteer for the Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce, past-president of Nacogdoches Area United Way, umpire for Little League Baseball games and coach of youth baseball and basketball. During his six years with Austin Bank, Beavers has been selected as a 2019 “Community Service Volunteer” in recognition of his work with the Nacogdoches Area United Way. He was also awarded “Star of the Month” in July 2017.
Chase Luce has joined Austin Bank as vice president and relationship manager. He has 12 years of experience in the financial services industry, including roles as teller, new account representative, branch manager, consumer lender and commercial lender. He comes to Austin Bank from VeraBank, at which he served six years as assistant vice president/commercial lender, responsible for servicing the Lufkin/Nacogdoches market. Prior to VeraBank, he spent six years with Texas State Bank.
Luce is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University with a degree in finance. He is a very active member of the community, currently serving as president of the Lions Club and on several boards: Neighborhood Strong, Lufkin ISD Education Foundation, Rodeo Association, Z&OO Railroad and United Way.
Terrie Manners has joined the Austin Bank team as vice president/relationship manager. An experienced banker with more than 25 years in the industry, she has joined the bank’s Cleveland branch. Manners began her career as a licensed financial representative with Bank One in 1996. In 2005, she continued her career with a change to Wachovia Bank in Cleveland and stayed through the bank’s merger with Wells Fargo. In 2012, Manners moved to Green Bank in Cleveland where she served as a business and private banker, relationship manager and branch manager, working through the bank’s acquisition by Veritex Community Bank.
Manners attended Kingwood Lone Star College and has taken numerous banking and lending courses. Very involved with the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, she participates in most chamber events and has served as a board member for the past five years. Prior to that, she was a chamber ambassador and director of student ambassadors. Manners has been secretary of the Cleveland Lions Club for eight years.
Established in 1900, Austin Bank operates 35 East Texas locations within 25 cities and 13 counties. The bank is locally owned and operated by the Austin family, which is celebrating 112 years of service in the Texas banking industry.
