TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS
Neil Ferguson 
El Paso-based WestStar Bank has announced the promotions of Andres Marquez and Robin Anaya to commercial banking officers. Both officers will leverage their expertise to develop and manage a diverse portfolio of businesses, offering services such as loan structuring, credit risk management and tailored financial strategies. Their focus will include strengthening existing client relationships and … Read more
On September 18, the Texas Lyceum, a premier nonprofit, nonpartisan, statewide leadership organization, honored “Skipper” Dippel with its 2025 Stewardship of Texas Values Award during a special ceremony at the Omni Dallas Hotel. A founder of the Texas Lyceum and a longtime Texas banker, Dippel was recognized for his unmatched contributions to the state of … Read more
In late September, the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) announced that Greg Wilson, president and CEO of Paris-based Lamar National Bank, has been elected chair of the IBAT board of directors for 2025–26. He officially accepted the position during the association’s 51st Annual Convention held September 20–23 in Fort Worth. In addition to Wilson, … Read more
On October 1, Prosperity Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Houston-based Prosperity Bank, and Southwest Bancshares Inc., the parent holding company of San Antonio-based Texas Partners Bank, jointly announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement whereby Prosperity will acquire Southwest Bancshares and Texas Partners Bank. The merger is expected to close during the first … Read more
Mergers and Acquisitions The TDB reports that Prosperity Bank, based in El Campo, has applied to acquire American Bank NA, based in Corpus Christi. Branches The OCC reports that it has approved an applications by First National Bank Texas, based in Killeen, to establish the following branches: 135 N.E. Loop 564 in Mineola and 1192 … Read more
Mergers and Acquisitions The OCC reports that it has approved an application by The Huntington National Bank, based in Columbus, Ohio, to acquire Veritex Community Bank, based in Dallas. The OCC reports that Texas National Bank, based in Mercedes, has applied to acquire Citizens State Bank, based in Roma. In addition, the TDB reports that … Read more
By Kristiana Rodriguez, CIP Ascensus When an IRA owner dies, the assets are distributed to beneficiaries, whether named by the IRA owner or determined by IRA document defaults. This can sometimes be a complicated process for financial organizations. And further complications may arise when the original beneficiary dies, leaving the inherited IRA to a successor … Read more
Dallas-based Harmony Bank has hired Kendra Gouge to serve as senior vice president/ commercial loan officer at the bank’s Midlothian branch. With more than 20 years of experience, her expertise in managing diverse loan portfolios spans commercial and industrial, SBA and commercial real estate projects. Prior to joining Harmony Bank, Gouge was vice president of … Read more
Jeremy Jackson has joined Round Rock-based R Bank as executive vice president/market president for the Fort Worth region. With more than 24 years of experience spanning commercial and private banking, he will spearhead the bank’s growth in the Fort Worth market, focusing on establishing a strong presence and expanding its footprint. As part of this … Read more
In mid-July, Fort Worth-based Trinity Bank NA announced that Todd Crookshank has joined the executive management team as executive vice president and chief operating officer. A proven operations executive with over 25 years of experience across financial institutions, Crookshank brings a track record of strategic leadership, operational excellence and transformative results to the organization. As … Read more