TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS
Neil Ferguson 
Blake Chisolm has joined Houston-based Texas Gulf Bank as assistant vice president/commercial loan officer at its CityCentre location in Houston. He brings five years of banking experience with a focus on commercial lending. Chisolm previously worked as a banking officer at Stellar Bank in Bellaire for more than four years. Before that, he was an … Read more
Tupelo, Mississippi-based Cadence Bank has named Mike Mueller president of its newly created Bluebonnet division. He will oversee 17 branches recently acquired through Cadence Bank’s acquisition of Industry Bancshares and its subsidiary, Industry Bank. The branch locations in Brenham, Bellville, Industry, La Grange, Fayetteville, Columbus and Shiner employ nearly 150 people. With 39 years of banking … Read more
Josie Herrera has joined Brownwood-based TexasBank’s El Paso team as a mortgage lender. With more than 20 years of experience in mortgage lending and five years in the title business, she brings deep expertise and a proven record of helping families achieve the dream of homeownership. Throughout her career, Herrera has originated a wide range … Read more
In October, the Tarrant County Bankers Association (TCBA) announced the establishment of an endowed scholarship for the new Certificate in Banking program at the University of Texas–Arlington (UTA). UTA’s Certificate in Banking Program is designed to equip students with the knowledge, tools and hands-on experience needed to thrive in the banking sector. The endowed scholarship … Read more
Tupelo, Mississippi-based Cadence Bank has hired Michael Milich to serve as wealth regional president for Texas. Based in Houston, he is an accomplished private banking and wealth management expert and an estate attorney. He leads an integrated team providing investment management, trust and estate planning, and financial consulting services. Early in his career, Milich practiced … Read more
The SW Graduate School of Banking (SWGSB) at Southern Methodist University, a nationally renowned source for banking executive education, has announced that Michelle W. Bowman, Federal Reserve vice chair for supervision, will be the keynote speaker for the SWGSB 161st Assembly for Bank Directors in Oahu, January 29–February 1, 2026. Responsible for overseeing the supervision … Read more
The SW Graduate School of Banking (SWGSB) at Southern Methodist University, a nationally renowned source for banking executive education, will hold its 161st Assembly for Bank Directors at The Ritz-Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, January 29–February 1, 2026. SWGSB Assemblies for Bank Directors attract banking leaders from across the country to address critical issues … Read more
Mergers and Acquisitions The OCC and the TDB report that The Huntington National Bank, based in Columbus, Ohio, has completed its acquisition of Veritex Community Bank, based in Dallas. The TDB reports that Peoples Bank, based in Lubbock, has applied to merge with Cornerstone Capital Bank SSB, based in Houston. Branches The OCC reports that … Read more
Mergers and Acquisitions The OCC reports that it has approved an application by Investar Bank NA, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to acquire First National Bank, based in Wichita Falls. The TDB reports that Vista Bank, based in Dallas, has applied to merge with NBH Bank, based in Greenwood Village, Colorado. Conversions The TDB reports … Read more
Tupelo, Mississippi-based Cadence Bank has promoted Michelle N. Hodge to deputy regional president and she joins the bank’s Texas region leadership team led by Lester Lucy, regional president. Hodge was most recently in a leadership role with Industry Bancshares and joined Cadence Bank following its July acquisition. Hodge has been in the banking sector for … Read more