TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS
Neil Ferguson 
Lubbock-based Victory Bank has hired Kyle Fernandez as vice president/Hill Country banking leader, a newly created role focused on growing the bank’s presence in the region. Stephen Harris, a Fredericksburg banker and business owner who serves as a Victory Bank ambassador, will help Fernandez expand the bank’s presence in the Hill Country. “Victory Bank already … Read more
College Station-based American Momentum Bank has hired Bryan/College Station native Gates Gardner as senior vice president/commercial relationship manager. He brings 27 years of banking experience to his new role. Most recently, Gardner served as senior vice president/market president in Beaumont at Third Coast Bank, where he ranked among the bank’s top five loan producers for … Read more
Laredo-based IBC Bank has promoted Juan A. “John” Villarreal to executive vice president of IBC Bank–Laredo, recognizing his nearly four decades of service, banking expertise and commitment to the Laredo community. Villarreal began his career with IBC Bank in 1988 as a credit analyst. He was promoted to commercial lender in 1992 and has since … Read more
On August 6, Laredo-based IBC Bank announced the promotion of Gerald Schwebel to enterprise-wide president of international banking, recognizing his decades of service, leadership and contributions to the bank’s international operations. A respected authority on international trade, finance, transportation and U.S.-Mexico relations, Schwebel has headed IBC Bank’s corporate international division since 1996, overseeing its international banking … Read more
Abilene-based First Financial Bank opened a new full-service branch in Bee Cave in late October. The new branch expands the company’s presence into Central Texas and the greater Austin area. First Financial has maintained a mortgage loan production office in Bee Cave since 2020. The new full-service branch is the company’s 81st location and will operate … Read more
Home Offices The TDB reports that Maverick Bank, based in Fort Davis, has applied to relocate its home office from 100 South State St. in Fort Davis to an existing branch at 12705 Quaker Ave. in Lubbock. Branches The OCC reports that it has approved an application by Extraco Banks NA, based in Temple, to … Read more
Branches The OCC reports that Moody National Bank, based in Galveston, has established a branch at 107 Old River Rd. in Montgomery. The OCC reports that it has approved applications by PNC Bank NA, based in Wilmington, Delaware, to establish the following branches: 5949 Retail Way in Fort Worth and 29115 Katy Fwy. in Katy.
Omaha, Nebraska-based Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. has signed an agreement to acquire Southern Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Moulton-based SouthStar Bank. SouthStar Bank has $1.35 billion in assets with 16 full-service locations in Central Texas: Austin, Bee Cave, Brazoria, Bremond, Calvert, Franklin, Georgetown, Gonzales, Harker Heights, Hearne, Kerrville, Leander, Moulton, Round Rock and Shiner. In … Read more
On October 7, Third Coast Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Humble-based Third Coast Bank, and Great Plains Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma-based Great Plains National Bank, announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Third Coast will acquire Great Plains in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately … Read more
In October, Memphis, Texas-based Bank19 announced the appointment of Ernesto J. Salazar as Amarillo market president as the bank seeks to expand its presence and strengthen its relationships across the Texas Panhandle. He brings more than 35 years of banking experience serving business owners, commercial clients, professionals and individuals. Salazar will lead Bank19’s Amarillo market … Read more