TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS
Neil Ferguson 
Bee Cave-based Keystone Bank has hired Ty Byrd to serve as vice president/digital banking. He will spearhead the development of the bank’s digital banking services, helping to advance its goal of becoming an industry leader in the digital space. He will also take the lead on enhancing services for the bank’s core customer base of … Read more
Longtime banker Bobby Ray Glenn passed away peacefully at age 80 on June 1. He was born on January 28, 1942, in Weatherford. His banking career endured for 57 years, beginning at First National Bank in Weatherford. He also worked for Citizens Bank, Merchants & Farmers Bank, Texas Bank and PlainsCapital Bank, from which he … Read more
Tyler-based American State Bank recently expanded its footprint with the establishment of a loan production office in Lubbock, according to a report in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. This is the first of several planned expansion offices by American State Bank. The new office, located at 4010 82nd St., Ste. 110, will be led by Bud Holmes, … Read more
On June 6, Dallas-based Comerica Inc. announced the appointment of James Johnson as senior vice president/director, retail risk management and operations, and Theresa Bazan as senior vice president/director, sales enablement. Both will report to Cassandra McKinney, executive vice president/executive director, retail bank. “We are thrilled to add James and Theresa to our retail leadership team,” … Read more
San Antonio-based Frost Bank has opened its Allen West and North Garland financial centers in Dallas, the third and fourth of 28 new financial centers to open in the bank’s Dallas region expansion. The bank will celebrate the branches with ribbon-cutting events in the near future. The new financial centers, like the other locations in … Read more
On May 26, Longview-based Texas Bank and Trust Co. announced the promotions of Sandy Spier and Alex Myers. Spier has been promoted to senior vice president and mortgage loan underwriter in the bank’s residential mortgage lending division based in Longview. Employed with the bank since 1998, she has held several positions in mortgage lending, most … Read more
El Paso-based WestStar recently announced the following officer promotions. WestStar Bank Jacqueline Salais: senior vice president, audit director Ruby Vigil: vice president, district manager retail banking Xavier Parra: vice president, branch operations administration manager Angelica Quinonez: assistant vice president, Viscount branch manager Robert Spencer: assistant vice president, construction lender WestStar Title Janette Coon: senior vice … Read more
Elfis Cottingham has been hired by Mount Pleasant-based Guaranty Bank & Trust to serve as vice president/SBA business development officer in the Houston area. She has more than 25 years of experience in the banking industry with SBA commercial business development, packaging, closing, portfolio management, liquidation, and credit administration and loan review. Elfis has earned … Read more
Mergers and Acquisitions The TDB reports that The First State Bank, based in Rice, has applied to merge into The First National Bank of Kemp, based in Kemp. Branches The OCC reports that it has approved applications by PNC Bank National Association, based in Wilmington, Delaware, to establish the following branches: 3903 Ichabod Circle in … Read more
After 18 years at Kilgore-based Citizens Bank and 50 years in the banking industry, CEO Sammy York will retire at the end of June. A native of Corsicana, York graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS degree in agricultural economics in 1974. He is also a 1981 graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of … Read more