TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS
Neil Ferguson 
Lou Deane Littlefield has joined Odessa-based SouthWest Bank to serve as senior vice president/senior compliance officer. She oversees all of the bank’s compliance processes with an emphasis on Bank Secrecy Act and Community Reinvestment Act policies and procedures. With more than four decades of banking experience Littlefield previously worked as a CRA officer and compliance … Read more
On June 4, Midland-based Community National Bank announced several new hires and promotions. Bryce Mayo has joined the bank as vice president/project manager. He began his banking career in 2004 and has since gained a wide range of experience across various banking roles while pursuing higher education at Midland College, Texas Tech University and the … Read more
Charles G. Cooper, commissioner of the Texas Department of Banking, announced the appointment of Lilliana R. Abbassi as director of strategic support. She will oversee staff responsible for developing examination policy and procedures; administering examiner training activities and the commissioning process; the consumer assistance activities relating to state-chartered bank and trust companies; the department’s financial … Read more
Jeff Welch has joined Houston-based Central Bank to serve as senior vice president and commercial banker at the bank’s West Houston branch. With more than 14 years of banking and financial industry experience in the greater Houston area, his primary focus will be on serving commercial clients across multiple industries, including construction, commercial real estate, … Read more
El Paso-based WestStar announced the appointment of Myrna A. Ortiz as senior vice president of corporate accounting. She will oversee capital and liquidity planning activities, manage interest rate risk and reporting, handle investment accounting and monitoring and lead special projects. In addition, the bank has hired Nancy C. McElroy as vice president of corporate accounting. … Read more
Ben Ray has joined Arlington-based Susser Bank as vice president/relationship manager. Based in the bank’s Plano office, he will serve business owners, professionals and families across the Dallas/Fort Worth market. Ray brings more than seven years of commercial banking experience to his new post. His expertise is centered in commercial and industrial banking, with a … Read more
College Station-based American Momentum Bank has appointed Casey Oldham, CEO and chief investment officer of Oldham Goodwin Group LLC, to the bank’s board of directors. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry. “Casey’s expertise in real estate, capital raising and deal structuring, paired with his involvement in communities … Read more
On May 28, San Antonio-based Frost Bank announced that Cliff McCauley, senior executive vice president, has decided to retire in June. He spent 42 years of his 44-year career at Frost Bank in the correspondent banking division, working with banks across Texas. In 2020, McCauley also took on responsibility for treasury management, merchant services and … Read more
Henderson-based VeraBank announced the addition of William “Billy” Brannon as senior vice president and commercial banker at the College Station location. He joins the bank with extensive experience in various sectors of commercial banking, including homebuilder finance, land acquisition, development lending and SBA lending. VeraBank will be expanding its presence in College Station with the … Read more
Multiple promotions were announced at Longview-based Texas Bank and Trust’s employee awards dinner held in March. Kristi McLemore was promoted to assistant vice president and operations manager in Canton. She joined Texas Bank and Trust in 2013 in the Canton branch as a bank services representative. She was promoted to assistant operations manager in 2018 … Read more