TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
Neil Ferguson 
Harlingen-based Texas Regional Bank has hired Jacque Kruppa to serve as senior executive vice president and chief legal officer. In 2010, she played a major role in helping a group of South Texas investors purchase a bank charter from Falfurrias State Bank that would become Texas Regional Bank. She continued to advise Texas Regional Bank … Read more
In the aftermath of the Great War and the devastating fire of 1916 that left Paris, Texas, in disarray, a group of community leaders banded together to devise a plan for the city’s recovery. In 1922, they founded the Paris Savings and Loan Association—now First Federal Community Bank—with a mission to promote home ownership and … Read more
In early October, Christopher Williston, president and CEO of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, was elected to serve as chairman of the Council of Community Banking Associations (CCBA). CCBA is comprised of the leaders of independent community banking associations around the country, and is exclusively affiliated with the Independent Community Bankers of America. The … Read more
Caroline Vérot Moore, executive vice president and Houston market president at Coral Gables, Florida-based Amerant Bank, was recently honored by the Houston Business Journal at its 2023 “Women Who Mean Business” Awards luncheon. The event was held in Houston on October 13. The award honors women across nine industry categories, as well as a “Woman … Read more
Longtime Dallas banker James Murphy II passed away on October 5 at the age of 72. After earning a BBA degree in finance/general business and an MBA degree in real estate/finance from Southern Methodist University in the early 1970s, Murphy launched his banking career. For more than four decades, he worked as an executive at several … Read more
Harlingen-based Texas Regional Bank has expanded its branch network in Tarrant County by opening a new banking center in Southlake. With this expansion, the bank has 31 banking centers across Texas, with six in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Mimi Tran, Southlake market president, will lead this new location, which will include the company’s new private … Read more
On October 12, Jacksonville-based Austin Bank broke ground on a new full-service banking center in Montgomery at the corner of Hwy. 105 W and Blue Heron Dr. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce, area business leaders, the Austin Bank leadership team and employees, along with the SLI Group Inc. … Read more
McGregor-based TFNB Your Bank for Life recently announced two new additions to its banking team. With more than 30 years of business and banking experience in the Greater Waco area, Link Harris will serve as senior vice president/lending officer at the bank’s new Woodway/Hewitt location. Active in the community, he previously served as president and … Read more
Abilene-based First Financial Bankshares Inc. has announced that its subsidiaries, First Financial Bank NA and First Financial Trust and Asset Management Co. NA, have each filed applications with the Texas Department of Banking to convert to a Texas state banking association and a Texas-chartered trust company, respectively. The bank has been a national bank since … Read more
Round Rock-based R Bank has promoted Jennifer Pascar to senior vice president and chief operating officer. She previously served as senior operations officer. Pascar has been with R Bank for the past 13-and-a-half years. Prior to joining R Bank, she was a senior personal banker with Frost Bank. She launched her community banking career in … Read more