TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS
Neil Ferguson 
Chad D. Stary, president and CEO of First State Bank of Uvalde, recently announced two new hires—one in the mortgage division and the other in commercial/agriculture lending. Jeffery Anderson has joined First State Bank of Uvalde as vice president and mortgage department manager. He has 24 years of credit and mortgage experience, with a background … Read more
Wallis-based Wallis Bank is opening a new full-service branch in Sugar Land, Texas, anticipated for the third quarter of 2024. The branch will offer comprehensive banking services, state-of-the-art facilities, community engagement and an experienced team. “This milestone is a testament to the dedication of growth that Wallis Bank has instilled,” says Aziz Rahim, Sugar Land area … Read more
William J. Renfro, longtime banker and a pillar of the Austin business community, passed away on February 29. Born in Glasgow, Kentucky, and raised in Port Lavaca, according to his obituary, Renfro “dedicated his career to the banking industry and eventually the betterment of his beloved city of Austin. Throughout his illustrious career, he made … Read more
On March 1, San Antonio-based Frost Bank announced that it has reached an agreement in principle for a major sponsorship totaling $1 million to support the redevelopment of the Alamo. The sponsorship will support the revitalization and improvement of the Alamo’s historic buildings and grounds, delivering an updated experience to the 1.6 million guests visiting … Read more
First National Bank of Bastrop recently hired Kristina Nocella Dillon, CPA to serve as chief financial officer. She joins the bank with a strong background in financial management and more than 25 years of working with and for community banks. Prior to joining First National Bank, Dillon led and trained audit teams throughout her career … Read more
Corpus Christi-based American Bank announced that Jon Morgan has joined its Austin team as senior vice president of commercial banking. He will office at the bank’s Austin-Westlake location. Making the announcement was John Greenwood, Austin market president. Morgan joins American Bank after spending the past 28 years serving the banking needs of clients throughout the … Read more
Sally Myers has joined Jacksonville-based Austin Bank as senior executive vice president and deputy chief risk officer. She will office out of Austin Bank’s Longview Greggton location. With almost 40 years of banking risk management, compliance and information security resources, Myers has helped start three banks from the ground up, in addition to possessing extensive … Read more
On March 4, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas announced that it has named David Teeples senior vice president and general counsel. He will be responsible for leading the Dallas Fed’s legal department and serve as adviser to bank leadership on issues of governance, ethics and legal authority. Teeples joined the Dallas Fed in 2017 as … Read more
On March 5, Spearman-based First National Bank and Guymon, Oklahoma-based Bank of the Panhandle announced their intent to merge and become Panhandle First Bank. The two banks have frequently partnered over the past 39 years to serve their communities, and have determined that the communities will be better served by combining the two institutions into … Read more
The SW Graduate School of Banking (SWGSB) at Southern Methodist University (SMU) Cox School of Business has released details on its 67th Annual Session, scheduled for May 28–June 7, 2024, in Dallas. SWGSB prepares future leaders in the banking industry for greater responsibilities with peer networking, team-building experiences, living case studies, a tailored curriculum and an … Read more