In late September, the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) announced that Gabe Guerra, president and CEO of Corpus Christi-based Kleberg Bank, has been elected chair of the IBAT board of directors for 2026–27. He officially accepted the position during the association’s 52nd Annual Convention held September 19–22 in San Antonio. In addition to Guerra, members of the community banking organization elected Jay Bearden (president and CEO of Legend Bank in Decatur) to serve as IBAT’s chair-elect and Ricky Leal (senior vice president and chief development officer at First Community Bank in Harlingen) as secretary.
Guerra, Bearden and Leal will serve on the IBAT executive committee alongside Greg Wilson (president and CEO of Paris-based Lamar National Bank) immediate past chair; Zach Gilbert (vice president/commercial lending at Texas Bank and Trust in Tyler) chair of the IBAT Leadership Division; Kevin Monk (chief operations officer at Integrity Bank in Houston) chair of the IBAT Education Foundation; Brad Tidwell (president and CEO of Henderson-based VeraBank) chair of the IBAT Political Action Committee; and Christopher Williston VI (IBAT’s president and CEO).
In addition, here is the full slate of IBAT’s 2026–27 board of directors:
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- John David Baker, Llano National Bank, Llano
- Anne Balcer, Community Bank Advisory Services, Kensington
- Jay Bearden, Legend Bank, Decatur
- Christine Beaulieu Weinzapfel, Muenster State Bank, Gainesville
- Thomas H. Canfield Jr., Mason Bank, Mason
- Dillon Cecil, Liberty National Bank, Paris
- Chet Clayton, First State Bank of Ben Wheeler, Ben Wheeler
- Windol Cook, TIB NA, Cypress
- Matthew A. Crable, Texas First Bank, Texas City
- David Deanda Jr., Lone Star National Bank, McAllen
- Ryan Dillin, Cendera Bank, Dallas
- Gordon Dobner, Forvis Mazars, Houston
- Christopher C. Doyle, Texas First Bank, Texas City
- Wade O. Easley, First National Bank of Hereford, Hereford
- Mike Fernandez, Texas National Bank, Sweetwater
- Aaron K. Flencher, Citizens State Bank, Somerville
- Ryan Friend, Liberty Capital Bank, Addison
- Brad Giddens, CollateralEdge, Richardson
- Zach Gilbert, Texas Bank and Trust, Tyler
- Barry Gober, First State Bank, Graham
- Gabriel Guerra, Kleberg Bank, Corpus Christi
- Sarah Gutierrez, Frontier Bank of Texas, Elgin
- Jesse Lee Haggard III, First National Bank of Trinity, Trinity
- Tracy Harris, State National Bank of Groom, Groom
- K. Kyle Irwin, Western Bank, Gruver
- Greg Jackson, Cornerstone Capital Bank SSB, Dallas
- Rick Jamieson, First State Bank, Gainesville
- David R. Kapavik, SouthStar Bank SSB, Moulton
- Patrick J. Kennedy, Jr., Kennedy Sutherland LLP, San Antonio
- Clay Kolle, The First State Bank, Victoria
- Sloan Kuehl, First National Bank of Central Texas, Waco
- Ricky D. Leal, First Community Bank, Harlingen
- Jody Lee, Southwestern Bank, Houston
- Mark A. Long, First Commercial Bank NA, Seguin
- Sarah Long, First National Bank of Ballinger, Ballinger
- Scot Long, First National Bank of Sterling City, Sterling City
- Cindy Manthey, The Bank of San Jacinto County, Coldspring
- C. Brett McDowell, Victory Bank, Lubbock
- Tanya Miller, PrimeBank of Texas, Austin
- John Mills, Citizens Bank, Kilgore
- Kevin W. Monk, Integrity Bank SSB, Houston
- Michael R. Moores, VeraBank, Henderson
- Sam Nunn, Citizens Bank, Amarillo
- Conner Price, Texas Financial Bank, Dallas
- Zan Prince, CCBCO, First Baird Bancshares, Willow Park
- Ralph Riddel III, The First National Bank of Aspermont, Aspermont
- Marty Rivers, American National Bank & Trust, Denton
- Les W. Robbins, Longhorn Medical Holdings
- Blain Rumage, Jacksboro National Bank, Jacksboro
- Michael Scaief, Texas Regional Bank, Harlingen
- Leslie Sedlock, The First National Bank of Eagle Lake, Eagle Lake
- Bradley H. Tidwell, VeraBank, Longview
- Robert Upchurch III, First State Bank of Bedias, Bedias
- Ryan Whitzel, Texas Traditions Bank, Katy
- Reed Williams, Brady National Bank, Brady
- Christopher L. Williston VI, CAE, IBAT, Austin
- Brad Womack, Kleberg Bank, Kingsville
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