WestStar Bank Holding Company Inc., the holding company of El Paso-based WestStar Bank, and Las Vegas Bancorporation Inc., the holding company of Albuquerque-based Southwest Capital Bank, have entered into a definitive agreement to combine their organizations, creating a premier community banking franchise serving New Mexico and the Borderplex region. Southwest Capital Bank is expected to become part of WestStar Bank during the first quarter of 2027.

Upon completion of the transaction, the combined organization will have approximately $3.8 billion in assets, with approximately $2.9 billion in loans and $3.3 billion in deposits. The combination represents a significant expansion of WestStar’s presence in New Mexico, extending its footprint from Southern New Mexico into Albuquerque and Northern New Mexico while building upon Southwest Capital Bank’s longstanding relationships, deep local knowledge and more than 135 years of service to New Mexico communities.

The combination is expected to preserve local leadership and decision-making while enhancing resources available to clients throughout New Mexico and West Texas. Following the closing of the transaction, Chez Steel, current president and CEO of Southwest Capital Bank, will continue serving clients across New Mexico as the combined organization’s New Mexico market president.

“Both institutions were shaped by generations of bankers, business owners and families who believed their communities deserved a bank that understood them,” says L. Frederick “Rick” Francis, executive chairman of WestStar.

Established in 1890, Southwest Capital Bank has six branches serving Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Mora and Pecos. Established in 1990, WestStar Bank operates 15 locations serving the Borderplex: El Paso, Texas; Las Cruces, New Mexico; and Juárez, Mexico—in addition to the soon-to-be-acquired Northern New Mexico locations.