Jeff Austin III, chairman of the board of Jacksonville-based Austin Bank, recently announced the promotions of numerous employees approved at the March 2025 board meeting in Jacksonville.
Crystal Bateman, senior vice president and relationship manager, has been promoted to deputy regional president for the Southwest Region, encompassing Jacksonville, South Jacksonville, Troup, Rusk, Frankston and Palestine. In her 21-year tenure with the bank, Bateman worked as a teller, loan assistant, bank officer and portfolio manager before assuming her current position. A graduate of the University of Texas–Tyler, she has also completed Austin Bank’s Lending School I and II; Leadership I and II; and the Jacksonville Leadership Institute. Active in the community, Bateman serves on the boards of the Kiwanis Club and the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, for which she also serves as chair of the organization’s Job Fair. She was recognized by the Jacksonville Chamber as the 2017 “Business Woman of the Year” and received an Economic Development Division Chair Award.
Chase Luce has been named senior vice president. With more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, he joined Austin Bank in 2021 as vice president and relationship manager in the Lufkin office. He was promoted to location president in 2023. Luce came to the bank from VeraBank where he served six years as assistant vice president and commercial lender, responsible for servicing the Lufkin and Nacogdoches market. Prior to VeraBank, he spent six years with Texas State Bank. He has experience as a teller, new account representative, branch manager and consumer and commercial lender. Luce is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin University with a degree in finance. He currently serves as vice president of finance for the Lufkin ISD Education Foundation and is a past president. He also sits on several boards, including Neighborhood Strong, the Lufkin Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, Rodeo Association, Z&OO Railroad Association, LISD Tri-ethnic and Lufkin Little League.
Jim Mack Taylor was promoted to location president in Emory. He previously served as vice president and relationship manager in the Emory office. He joined Austin Bank in 2013, coming from the former First National Bank of Emory. With more than 32 years in the banking industry, Taylor is a graduate of the Texas Bankers Association Lending School. He is a board member for the City of Emory Development Corp. and Rains ISD Education Foundation.
Sam Cloud has been promoted to location president in Gladewater. Previously a vice president and relationship manager at the bank’s Gladewater office, he has spent his entire banking career with Austin Bank. He worked as a teller and a loan assistant before moving to his lending role. A lifelong resident of Gladewater, Cloud graduated from the University of Texas–Tyler with both a BBA degree and an MBA degree. He has also completed Austin Bank’s Lending School and Leadership program. Cloud currently serves as treasurer for both the Gladewater Rotary Club and Friends for the Lee-Bardwell Library, as well as a volunteer speaker for Junior Achievement.
Chance Thornton was elected vice president. With more than 10 years of experience in the financial services industry, he joined Austin Bank in 2022 from Citizens State Bank where he served as assistant vice president and loan officer while also acting as teller supervisor and assisting in branch management. Prior to Citizens State Bank, he worked in the oil and gas industry for Halliburton and has experience as a field engineer and in drilling operations. He currently serves as a relationship manager in the bank’s Lufkin office, helping both consumer and commercial lending. Thornton is a graduate of Sam Houston State University with a degree in banking and finance. He currently serves as a board member for Tri-Cities Youth Sports. He is also a member of the Lions Club.
Kyle Bridges was named vice president. He is a relationship manager in the bank’s Timpson location. He joined Austin Bank in 2015 as a teller in the Nacogdoches office. Following a brief break in service, he returned in 2018 to the bank’s Timpson office as a commercial portfolio manager. In 2019, Bridges was promoted to banking officer and relationship manager. He earned a BS degree in agriculture from Stephen F. Austin University. Bridges is an active member of the community, currently serving as a member of the Center Rotary Club.
Staci Lacy has been promoted to vice president. Currently serving as a loan review/compliance analyst, she joined Austin Bank in 2012. Since then, Lacy has held several positions, including teller, loan operations administrative assistant and real estate valuation specialist. A graduate of Louisiana Tech University, she has also completed the Texas Bankers Association Compliance School and BSA School. Lacy currently serves as treasurer for Cub Scout Pack 621 in Longview.
Jessica Guerrero was promoted to vice president. She is the retail office manager in the Jacksonville South office. During her 17-year tenure at the bank, she has served as a teller and as a teller supervisor in the drive-thru and downtown Jacksonville offices before assuming her current position. Guerrero attended Tyler Junior College. She has completed the Jacksonville Leadership program and the Austin Bank Star program. She is an active member of her community, having served as a board member for Cherokee County Child and Family Services as well as treasurer for the New Summerfield FFA Buyers Group.
Darrell Thompson has been named vice president. Currently serving as retail office manager, he joined Austin Bank in 2014 with 10 years of previous banking experience at Capital One, Prosperity Bank and Regions Bank. Thompson oversees retail operations in the bank’s Troup location. He is a graduate of Jacksonville College and the University of Texas–Tyler. He currently serves as treasurer for the Tyler Soccer Association.
Morgan Nelson was named vice president. She joined the Austin Bank team in 2008 as a teller. Later moving into management, she worked as a teller operations supervisor and customer service representative before moving to retail office manager of the Longview Greggton office and now filling that role in Kilgore. A longtime resident of White Oak, Morgan completed the Austin Bank Leadership program. She also serves as a mentor for new bank employees and helps to train new office managers.
Marti Hart has been promoted to assistant vice president. She is the retail office manager at the Gilmer location. Beginning her tenure as a teller in Longview Greggton, Hart moved to customer service representative and retail office manager in Big Sandy before assuming her current role. She has more than 17 years of banking experience with time spent in all areas of the bank and has spent the past seven years with Austin Bank. A resident of Liberty City, she holds an associate degree in business management from Kilgore College.
Maebeth Cotton was promoted to assistant vice president. She currently serves as a marketing specialist and financial literacy officer working from the bank’s Whitehouse office. She joined the team in 2012 as a marketing assistant having spent the previous 12 years managing marketing efforts for local real estate agents. A graduate of Tyler Junior College and Louisiana Baptist University, she has also completed the Jacksonville Leadership Institute. A resident of Whitehouse, she has served as treasurer of the Whitehouse Area Chamber of Commerce and volunteered on fundraising committees for Habitat for Humanity of Smith County.
Tammy Dosser has been elected assistant vice president. She currently serves as an assistant CRA officer in the Whitehouse location. She joined the Austin Bank team from First State Bank Athens where she worked for 18 years. Dosser moved to Austin Bank to work in CLD in 2016 and assumed her current role as assistant CRA officer in 2022. She serves on the board at New Creation Foundation in Troup.
Danielle Merkley was named assistant vice president. A loan operations administrative assistant, she has been with the bank for 13 years. Before moving to her current position, Merkley worked as a teller, customer service representative and escrow valuation specialist. She is a graduate of Kilgore College and has completed the Austin Bank Leadership program along with other banking courses.
Brett Carre has been promoted to operations officer/telephone CSR supervisor. He works in the bank’s Longview Greggton office as the telephone customer service supervisor and has been with the bank for more than 12 years, working in the customer care center throughout his tenure. A longtime resident of Longview, Carre is a graduate of the University of Texas–Tyler.
Established in 1900, Austin Bank has banking offices in 38 Texas locations within 26 cities and 14 counties. Austin Bank is locally owned and operated by the Austin family, which is celebrating 114 years of service in the Texas banking industry.
