TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS
Neil Ferguson 
In August, the Texas Bankers Foundation, the charitable arm of the Texas Bankers Association, announced the eight recipients of its 2021 Cornerstone Award and Leader in Financial Education (LiFE) Award. Each of the banks selected has demonstrated excellence in community involvement or promoted financial education in its communities. The banks selected were celebrated at the … Read more
Fernando D. Parra has joined the Houston banking team of Choudrant, Louisiana-based Origin Bank to serve as director of business development. He will assist in the bank’s growth and development in Houston as well as other markets. Parra brings more than 40 years of banking experience to his new role, having previously been involved in … Read more
McKinney-based Independent Financial has named Michael Keith head of middle-market banking for North Texas. He has more than 30 years of experience in commercial and corporate banking and comes to Independent Financial from another institution at which he served as managing director of franchise corporate banking over the Southwestern U.S. During his career, Keith has served … Read more
On September 15, Texas Banking Commissioner Charles G. Cooper announced that Dallas-based Texas Capital Bank NA has completed its conversion to a Texas state-chartered bank from a national banking association. The bank opened under its new charter as Texas Capital Bank on September 15. Texas Capital Bank was originally chartered as a national bank in … Read more
Omaha, Nebraska-based Security National Bank, which operates in Dallas, has realigned executive leadership roles to ensure the bank remains family-owned and positioned for future growth. James “Jim” E. Landen retains his role as executive chairman, while Clarence “C.L.” L. Landen III has been named chief executive officer. Tim Sullivan joins the bank as president. “Security … Read more
Pine Bluff, Arkansas-based Simmons Bank has promoted commercial banking veteran Marty Nay to executive vice president and Texas metro division president. Having served as the bank’s Kansas City market president for the past five years, Nay will take over the responsibilities of leading Simmons Bank operations in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area. He will oversee … Read more
On September 14, McKinney-based Independent Bank Group Inc., the parent company of Independent Bank, announced changes to its executive leadership with the appointment of Michael Hobbs as president and chief operating officer. David R. Brooks will remain chairman and CEO and continue to serve as the company’s and bank’s principal executive officer, but he will … Read more
Jacksonville-based Austin Bank recently announced two promotions and two new hires. Billie Mims has been named location president in Kilgore. She has more than 33 years of banking and lending experience focusing primarily on consumer and commercial lending, as well as oversight of loan support personnel. Mims joined the Austin Bank team with the acquisition … Read more
Longtime Texas banker Lee Roy Gaskamp Jr., 69, passed away on September 6 after an exhausting battle with COVID-19. During his lifetime, he served at several community banks and as a commissioned state bank examiner with the Texas Department of Banking before founding the Bank of Brenham in 2001. He served as the bank’s president … Read more
Mergers and Acquisitions The TDB reports that Citizens State Bank, based in Somerville, has applied to acquire Burton State Bank, based in Burton. The TDB reports that The Chasewood Bank, based in Houston, has applied to merge with MergerCo Inc., based in Houston. Home Office Relocations The TDB reports that WestStar Bank has relocated its … Read more