TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS
Austin-based Compliance Select recently announced the hiring of Amy Woolsey and Barbra Sims to serve as digital compliance officers. Since 2022, Compliance Select has provided community banks with resources to ensure consumer and regulatory compliance. The team continually expands to meet the needs of all client banks. Woolsey brings 21 years of community banking experience to … Read more
Choudrant, Louisiana-based Origin Bank has hired Sara Imes to serve as chief audit executive. She will develop and implement a risk-based audit plan while overseeing the planning, design, implementation, communication and delivery of audit initiatives across the organization. In addition, she will partner with all levels of management and cross-functional teams to strengthen internal controls … Read more
Eva Marie (Kleckley) Miller, 86, of Crockett, passed away peacefully on October 11. She enjoyed a lifelong career in banking before retiring in her 60s. Her banking career began as a drive-through teller in Houston, where she made the news for being robbed at gunpoint in the 1960s. Undeterred, she stayed in the banking industry … Read more
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
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
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
On October 22, First Financial Bankshares, the parent company of Abilene-based First Financial Bank, announced the election of Tim Brown as executive vice president and chief information officer of the company and CEO of First Technology Services Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the company. John Ruzicka, who has been serving as chief information officer … Read more
On October 16, the board of directors of Southside Bancshares Inc. and its subsidiary, Tyler-based Southside Bank, announced the appointment of Mitchell Craddock to chief operating officer of the company and bank, effective immediately following the retirement of Brian K. McCabe, current COO, on November 14. In addition, the company announced the appointments of Keith … Read more