An impressive number of community banks, as well as companies that provide services to community banks, were included in the recently published 2021 list of the “100 Best Companies to Work for in Texas,” an annual recognition program developed by Texas Monthly magazine, the Texas Association of Business, Texas Society for Human Resource Management and Best Companies Group.
The statewide survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor employers that go above and beyond, benefiting the state’s economy, workforce and businesses. Companies of all sizes across Texas entered the two-part survey that evaluated items such as workplace policies, pay and benefits, corporate culture, training opportunities and more.
Among the top 33 medium-sized (100–499 employees) companies on the list, seven are community banks or companies that serve community banks:
- No. 4: Community National Bank & Trust of Texas, Corsicana
- No. 14: SouthWest Bank, Odessa
- No. 15: VeraBank NA, Henderson
- No. 16: CalTech, San Angelo (CalTech provides IT strategies to financial institutions)
- No. 21: Guaranty Bank & Trust NA, Mount Pleasant
- No. 27: Austin Bank, Jacksonville
- No. 33: Vista Bank, Dallas
Among the top 20 large-sized (500-plus employees) companies on the list, one is community bank and the other services community banks:
- No. 12: CSI, Paducah, Kentucky (a fintech/regtech company)
- No. 15: Texas Bank and Trust Co., Longview
“It’s all about the people,” says Rusty Hitt, CEO of Community National Bank & Trust of Texas. “We can provide the best benefits and opportunities for our team, but each member plays a unique role in fostering the positive atmosphere we’ve created over the years. It’s the hard work and enthusiasm of great employees that make this bank the best company to work for in Texas.”
Community National Bank & Trust of Texas employs more than 180 Texans in 13 communities across the state. For years, the word “family” appears consistently in the survey comments, highlighting the bank’s tight-knit team. “This bank is very welcoming. It’s like coming home,” states one employee in the written survey. “The family environment is enough to make anyone want to stay here for years to come. When you combine that with an incredible benefits package and opportunity for advancement, there is no reason to ever leave.”
Best Companies Group, an independent workplace excellence research firm managing more than 50 programs, launched its survey in Texas in the summer of 2020. “Identifying outstanding employers is a very effective way of recognizing the importance of creating cultures where employees love to come to work,” says Peter Burke, founder of Best Companies Group. “From recruiting advantages to increased morale, these organizations will enjoy many benefits from this prestigious distinction. All companies that participated also received the results of their employee survey, which will be used to help make their companies even better places to work.”
Companies that chose to participate completed a two-part survey, including an organizational overview of the company’s policies and procedures, as well as an in-depth employee questionnaire. Participation was available to for-profit and nonprofit companies with 15 or more employees working in Texas. Each company that participated, whether it made the Top 100 list or not, received an Employee Feedback Report, which includes a summary of the employee responses and state benchmarking.
Click here to view the complete list of the 2021 “Best Companies to Work for in Texas.”
