Gateway Mortgage, a division of Jenks, Oklahoma-based Gateway First Bank, announced the promotion of Steve Thompson to regional vice president of the bank’s South Texas region. He has been with Gateway since 2016 as an area manager in Lake Jackson, a Houston suburb. Thompson has been Gateway Mortgage’s overall top mortgage producer for several years.

“Steve has been such an outstanding producer at a ridiculously strong level for years,” says Steven Plaisance, president of mortgage banking. “At the same time, he mentors his team and shares his extensive knowledge and experience so that they can also be successful. Plus, he is such a nice guy…everyone loves to work with Steve.”

Thompson will play a key role in developing new business opportunities, growing mortgage center production throughout the Texas region and mentoring loan originators as they grow their books of business. He is stepping into the role prior to the retirement of Rob Wiggins, divisional vice president for Texas. Wiggins has had a remarkably distinguished 30-plus year career in the Texas mortgage industry.

“Steve has been such a strong leader on the Gateway team,” says Scott Gesell, CEO. “With his extensive mortgage production experience over the past 20 years and his leadership skills, we are excited to see how he will develop our retail team and grow Gateway’s footprint.”

Established in 2007, Gateway First Bank is a $1.9 billion asset-sized bank with a strong mortgage operation. The company is one of the largest banking operations in Oklahoma and mortgage operations in the U.S., with eight bank centers in Oklahoma, more than 150 mortgage centers in 43 states and approximately 1,300 employees.