TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS
Neil Ferguson 
First National Bank of Bastrop has promoted Fil Valderrama to serve as Austin market president. He will take the helm at the Austin loan production office to further grow this market and oversee area lenders. Valderrama has been a member of the First National Bank of Bastrop team for more than 32 years. He previously … Read more
Fort Worth-based Bank of Texas, a subsidiary of Tulsa, Oklahoma-based BOK Financial, has hired Keller Harbuck to serve as private wealth banker. He is responsible for building relationships with high-net-worth clients and businesses, overseeing relationships that include deposit services, lending, brokerage, investment management, trust and insurance services. Harbuck’s financial services experience includes health care, real estate, … Read more
Amarillo-based FirstBank Southwest has created a 15-member Banking Advisory Council (BAC) to help understand the future of banking through the eyes of students. The council is made up of high school seniors at Amarillo ISD, Canyon ISD and Bushland ISD, as well as freshmen and sophomore students at Amarillo College. Members were chosen during a … Read more
Brandon Smith and Kathleen McElroy have joined the staff of Longview-based Texas Bank and Trust Co. Smith has been hired to serve as vice president and mortgage loan underwriter at the bank’s branch in The Colony. He previously served as senior underwriter with Colonial Savings Mortgage in McKinney and has been involved in the closing, … Read more
On October 23, Addison-based Guaranty Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Guaranty Bank & Trust NA, announced that Clifton A. “Cappy” Payne, senior executive vice president and chief financial officer of the company, plans to retire March 31, 2024, after 40 years with the company and 35 years as its principal accounting officer. He will … Read more
Lubbock-based Western Bank has named Allyn Piland executive vice president and president of the bank’s new mortgage division. She brings 18 years of market expertise to her new role, having served markets across Texas and New Mexico. Piland began her career at PrimeWest Mortgage in the servicing department. In 2005, upon graduating from Texas Tech … Read more
Henderson-based VeraBank recently announced two new hires—one in the bank’s Bryan/College Station market and the other in Austin. Annette Moore has been hired to serve on VeraBank’s mortgage banking team as banking officer/mortgage banker at the Austin branch. “We are excited to offer our Austin area customers the knowledge and commitment to service excellence Annette … Read more
Harlingen-based Texas Regional Bank has hired Jacque Kruppa to serve as senior executive vice president and chief legal officer. In 2010, she played a major role in helping a group of South Texas investors purchase a bank charter from Falfurrias State Bank that would become Texas Regional Bank. She continued to advise Texas Regional Bank … Read more
In the aftermath of the Great War and the devastating fire of 1916 that left Paris, Texas, in disarray, a group of community leaders banded together to devise a plan for the city’s recovery. In 1922, they founded the Paris Savings and Loan Association—now First Federal Community Bank—with a mission to promote home ownership and … Read more
In early October, Christopher Williston, president and CEO of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, was elected to serve as chairman of the Council of Community Banking Associations (CCBA). CCBA is comprised of the leaders of independent community banking associations around the country, and is exclusively affiliated with the Independent Community Bankers of America. The … Read more