First National Bank of Gilmer Announces New Unified Name for East Texas Banking Network

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the founding of First National Bank of Gilmer and its commitment to the banking needs of East Texas communities. In honor of this milestone, on August 1 Danny Weems, president and CEO, announced that its system of banks—First National Bank of Gilmer, Wood County National Bank, Texas American … Read more

Austin Bank Named One of 2020 ‘Best Companies to Work for in Texas’

Jacksonville-based Austin Bank was recently named one of the “2020 Best Companies to Work for in Texas” by the Texas Association of Business during its virtual awards presentation on June 18. This is the 12th consecutive year for Austin Bank to receive this honor. The awards program was created in 2006 and is a project … Read more

Business Leaders Participate in Virtual U.S.-Mexico Border Summit

Executives from Laredo-based IBC Bank joined the Texas Border Coalition and the Borderplex Alliance for a virtual U.S.-Mexico Border Summit on June 17. This annual event, which typically takes place in-person—brings together business, government and civic leaders to discuss the importance of the border region in increasing the global competitiveness of both the United States … Read more

Bank Mergers and Acquisitions: Outlook and Review in the Middle of Uncertainty

The spread of the coronavirus presents considerable risks to the world economy in general and the banking industry specifically. By some estimates, China saw economic activity cut in half as it worked to treat those infected by the virus and control its spread. World economic activity may rebound quickly if the virus is effectively contained, … Read more

Texas Bankers Hall of Fame Names Five Honorees

The selection committee of the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame has announced its 2020 inductees: the late James B. Bexley, Lloyd R. Ferguson, William David Lacy, Victor Pierson and Allan James Rasmussen. These prestigious Texas bankers will be inducted at the Eighth Annual Texas Bankers Hall of Fame Gala on the campus of Sam Houston … Read more

Taking a Swipe at Scammers: A Skimmer Primer

As the banking industry improves its security procedures, hardware and software, the bad guys are also stepping up their game. One of their weapons—skimmers—continue to get more sophisticated. At the same time, accountability on the part of businesses deploying unattended tellers has been hard to come by. The following is a quick look at some … Read more

Sifting Through CECL: Challenges and Implications Beyond Provisioning

The Current Expected Credit Loss (CECL) standard from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) is considered one of the most challenging accounting change projects in a generation, with significant and widespread impact on banks. Not surprisingly, FASB has been inundated with feedback and pushback since CECL was issued in 2016. In early June, two bills … Read more