Plains Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Dimmitt-based First United Bank and Spirit Mortgage, announced 11 company promotions in the new year.
Staci Ortiz: senior vice president of Spirit Mortgage. She has been with the bank since 2017 and has 20 years of mortgage experience. She graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in finance. Ortiz’s favorite thing about working at First United Bank/Spirit Mortgage is the spirit of community and how invested the team is in the culture.
Moraima Romero: banking officer (Plains Bancorp Inc.). Romero has been with the bank since 2018 and has approximately seven years of banking experience. Her favorite thing about working at First United Bank is the people she works with and the way team members truly care for one another.
Iasiah Guerro: assistant vice president (Plains Bancorp Inc.). Guerro has been with the bank since 2021 and has four years of banking experience. He graduated from West Texas A&M University with a degree in accounting. His favorite thing about working at First United Bank is the people and the strong culture.
Josh Haley: assistant vice president (Plains Bancorp Inc.). He has been with the bank since 2014 and has 11 years of banking experience. Haley’s favorite thing about working at First United Bank is the people he works with each day and how consistently welcoming and positive the team is.
Elizabeth Johnson: vice president (Plains Bancorp Inc.). Johnson has been with the bank since 2019 and has eight years of banking experience. She graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in finance. Johnson’s favorite thing about working at First United Bank is the family atmosphere and the genuine people she works alongside each day.
Kris Bilbrey: senior vice president (Spirit Mortgage). She serves as a mortgage loan officer in Amarillo for the Spirit Mortgage division. Bilbrey has been with First United Bank since 2018 and has 16 years of banking experience. She graduated from the University of Texas– Arlington with a degree in business administration and finance. Her favorite thing about working at First United Bank and Spirit Mortgage is the organization’s community involvement, Founding Principles, and the family-like relationships she has with fellow team members.
Kelsey Reynolds: senior vice president (Spirit Mortgage). Reynolds serves as operations manager and direct endorsement underwriter for the Spirit Mortgage division. She has been with the bank since 2012 and has 25 years of banking experience. She graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in business finance. Her favorite thing about working at First United Bank and Spirit Mortgage is the strong culture and the way the bank invests in its STARS, communities and giving back in meaningful ways.
Tere Kile: assistant vice president (First United Bank). She serves as a banking officer in Amarillo for First United Bank and offices at the Amarillo Colonies location. Kile has been with First United Bank since 2022 and has 20 years of banking experience. She graduated from West Texas A&M University with a degree in science and general studies. Her favorite thing about working at First United Bank is the people she works with and the family-like environment of the bank.
Elda Flores: banking officer (First United Bank). Flores has been with First United Bank since 2015 and has 11 years of banking experience. Her favorite thing about working at First United Bank is serving customers in her community and having the opportunity to give back through various bank projects and community initiatives.
Elsie Rempel: banking officer (First United Bank). She has been with First United Bank since 2023 and has seven years of banking experience. Her favorite thing about working at First United Bank is the people she works with, along with the bank’s volunteer efforts and community involvement.
Monica Gonzalez: assistant vice president (First United Bank). Gonzalez has been with First United Bank since 2008 and has 18 years of banking experience. She graduated from South Plains College with a degree in administrative office technology. Gonzalez’s favorite thing about working at First United Bank is the bank’s core values and the opportunity to serve her community.
Established in 1907, First United Bank operates 23 banking centers across 20 West Texas communities. With more than 300 employees— affectionately called “STARs”—First United Bank has been recognized as a “Best Bank to Work For” since 2016.
