Ken Pilgrim, senior chairman at Pittsburg-based Pilgrim Bank, along with Chairman Lanny Brenner and the Pilgrim Bank board of directors, announced numerous promotions approved by the board at the end of 2021.
Charlotte Brewer has been promoted to region president/North Central Texas. She joined the bank in 1993 with previous banking experience. During her career, she has held positions in loan administration and funding, account services, financial services and bank operations. She has an extensive background in regulatory compliance and reporting, as well as marketing. She was senior executive vice president/marketing director prior to being promoted to market president/director of marketing in 2016. She then relocated from the Mt. Pleasant corporate office to Wichita Falls to enhance the bank’s presence there after Pilgrim Bank acquired State National Bank.
“Charlotte is a great person and a great banker,” Brenner says. “We’re quite blessed she chooses to work with us.”
“Charlotte has embraced each role that she has had with Pilgrim Bank,” says Brent Woodruff, CEO. “She exemplifies our brand and has been focused on establishing our company culture and growth in the Wichita Falls market.”
Brewer is a graduate of the American Institute of Banking and American Bankers Association’s Bank Marketing and Management School at Northwestern University. In addition to serving as an advisory director for Pilgrim Bank, Brewer is also is on the board of Bi-County Water Supply Corp. and North Texas Rehabilitation Center.
D.J. Dickey has been promoted to market president in Wichita Falls. A 20-year banking veteran, Dickey has been a commercial lender for the past 17 years in the North Central Texas area. He joined Pilgrim Bank in 2020 as executive vice president/senior relationship manager.
“This is part of a transition that we have been planning for the past two years,” Woodruff notes. “D.J. understands our culture and the customers whom we serve. He’s focused on making sure that we are a world-class financial services company dedicated to developing lasting relationships with our customers.”
“D.J. has been very instrumental in the growth of Pilgrim Bank’s commercial and real estate loan portfolio in the Wichita Falls market,” says Rick Strudthoff, president and chief lending officer. “His many years of experience and his outstanding leadership skills provide the ideal qualities that are necessary for success.”
Dickey earned his BBA degree from Midwestern State University in 2004.
Pam McCuistion has been promoted to market president in Decatur. She has been in the financial services industry for more than 46 years, in a career spanning banks, credit unions and saving and loans. McCuistion began her banking career in her sophomore year of college with a part-time position in a mortgage department followed by 12 years in commercial and mortgage lending. She was the compliance officer and internal auditor for Pilgrim Bank until she moved to Dallas and took a position at Park Cities Bank (later acquired by Interbank) where she served in a variety of roles, including head of compliance, audit and loan review, executive vice president/chief risk officer and, after the acquisition, senior vice president/commercial lender, the position in which she served until her retirement in 2020. McCuistion reconnected with Pilgrim Bank with her move to the Decatur location in 2020 as senior vice president/commercial lender.
“Pilgrim Bank is fortunate to have a talented leader in Pam,” Woodruff notes. “I know I speak on behalf of the board of directors when I say that Pam exemplifies the culture of our company and her dedication to developing our brand into a world-class financial services company.”
“Pam brought extensive banking experience to the Decatur market in early 2020,” says Strudthoff. “She has quickly gained a reputation for solving problems and getting more complex loan transactions completed for her customers.”
McCuistion attended the University of Arkansas. She is a graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University.
Zachary Ervin has been promoted to assistant vice president/relationship manager. He joined Pilgrim Bank in 2018 as credit analyst at the Mt. Pleasant South location. He was promoted to loan officer and credit analyst in 2019 and subsequently moved to the bank’s Pittsburg location.
“Since joining Pilgrim Bank, Zach has embraced our culture and approach to community banking,” Woodruff says. “He provides a highly personalized level of service to our customers. His commitment to developing lasting relationships with our customers is important to building our brand into a world-class financial services company.”
“Zach has made great strides since he began his banking career with Pilgrim Bank in 2018,” Strudthoff says. “He is noted for his communication skills along with a great attention to detail.”
Ervin earned his bachelor’s degree in business, as well as an MBA degree, from East Texas Baptist University.
Gene Pena has been promoted to assistant vice president/lobby services officer. He joined Community Bank in Wellington as a part-time teller in 2004, before it was purchased by Pilgrim Bank. He became a full-time teller and later a new accounts representative. Pena was then promoted to assistant lobby services supervisor.
“Gene has been a tremendous asset to Pilgrim Bank and to the community,” says Dana Bell, region chairman. “He has a unique ability to relate to customers and assist them in their needs. We are excited to see Gene move into his new role and have every confidence that he will bring the same dedication and work ethic as he has demonstrated in the past.”
“Gene’s dedication to his family, his community and to providing customer service is a blessing that we are fortunate to have,” says Lynn Bartlett, market president.
Pena attended Abilene Christian University, where he majored in finance.
Kara Halley has been promoted to assistant vice president/senior auditor. She joined the bank in 2019 as a teller at the Mt. Pleasant South location and then, in 2020, at the Sulphur Springs location. Upon her graduation from college, she joined the audit and compliance department at the South location in Mt. Pleasant as a senior auditor.
“Kara has done excellent work since joining our team and she is instrumental in our long-term goal of being a world-class financial services company,” Woodruff says.
“Kara is very deserving of this promotion,” says Eva Thomas, executive vice president/chief compliance and audit officer. “She is a great asset to Pilgrim Bank and has a bright and successful future ahead of her.”
Halley graduated summa cum laude from Baylor University with a BBA degree in accounting. She is currently taking graduate courses at Texas A&M University–Commerce and expects to receive her MBA degree in May 2022.
Established in 1911, Pilgrim Bank serves rural East Texas, North Central Texas and the TexasPanhandle.
