TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS
Neil Ferguson 
When criminal gangs and cartels unleashed a costly wave of “hook and chain” attacks on bank ATM machines, Texas State Representative Andrew Murr (R–Junction) took the lead in the Texas House to increase felony penalties for these crimes. The Texas Bankers Association (TBA) and Hill Country bankers hosted a luncheon in Kerrville on October 26 … Read more
Home Offices The TDB reports that Jefferson Bank, based in San Antonio, has applied to relocate its home office from 2900 Fredericksburg Rd. in San Antonio to 1777 N.E. Loop 410 in San Antonio. Branches The OCC reports that it has approved an application by Extraco Banks NA, based in Temple, to establish a branch … Read more
Mergers and Acquisitions The OCC reports that American Bank NA, based in Corpus Christi, has completed its acquisition of TexStar National Bank, based in Universal City. The TDB reports that Roscoe State Bank, based in Roscoe, has merged with and into Cornerstone Capital Bank SSB. The TDB reports that Allegiance Bank, based in Houston, has … Read more
Branches The OCC reports that it has approved an application by Wells Fargo Bank NA, based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to establish a branch at the northwest corner of FM 1488 and Spur 149 Rd. in Magnolia. The OCC reports that it has approved an application by Bank of America NA, based in Charlotte, … Read more
On October 11, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that San Francisco, California-based Wells Fargo Bank NA will create a new campus in Irving. The project will create 650 new jobs and $455 million in capital investment. A Texas Enterprise Fund grant of $5,001,100 has been extended to Wells Fargo. “Texas has a long history of … Read more
San Antonio-based Vantage Bank announced the hiring of Cue Lipscomb as chief mortgage officer. He will oversee mortgage services company-wide from Vantage Bank’s Fort Worth executive offices. Lipscomb has worked in the Texas mortgage industry since 1995, most recently as mortgage manager with Guardian Mortgage in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. His leadership experience spans the … Read more
On October 3, Houston-based Cornerstone Home Lending, one of the nation’s largest independent residential mortgage companies, announced the completion of its previously announced acquisition of and merger with Roscoe-based Roscoe State Bank. The merger results in the formation of Cornerstone Capital Bank, which will hold more than $380 million in regulatory capital and greater than $1.5 … Read more
Amarillo-based FirstBank Southwest recently announced the promotion of Matt Mathias to Amarillo market president. He has been with the bank since 2018 and in the financial services industry for more than 22 years. Prior to this promotion, Mathias served as senior vice president of the bank’s commercial lending team at its downtown banking center in … Read more
Each year, the American Bankers Association (ABA) recognizes the nation’s best bank marketing initiatives during its ABA Bank Marketing Conference. This year’s Brand Slam awards honored elite bank marketing strategies that stood out among hundreds of nationwide entries from banks of all sizes. Durant, Oklahoma-based First United Bank, which has 40 branches in North and … Read more
As the Bankers Helping Bankers (BHB) network expands, community banks can now participate in BHB’s new Test Pilots program and be among the innovative bankers to test fintech products and services. These screened, early-stage fintech companies need the partnership of banks to establish their viability in providing stable solutions for the banking industry. “The BHB … Read more