El Paso-based WestStar Bank has promoted Claudia Rodriguez to chief risk officer. She has been with WestStar Bank for more than 11 years and has 22 years of banking experience. She previously served as senior vice president/risk management director and, prior to that, as operations center manager. Prior to working in operations, she was the bank’s internal auditor.
“Our clients’ security and safety are of paramount importance to us, and we are continuously working on improving our risk management program to fulfill this commitment,” Rodriguez says.
Rodriguez holds a BBA degree in accounting and computer applications from the University of Notre Dame. She is also a graduate of the Western States School of Banking and the American Bankers Association’s Risk Management Foundational School. Rodriguez is a certified internal auditor and certified fraud examiner. In addition, she has served on the board of the El Paso chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors and currently serves as president of the El Paso chapter of the Association of Fraud Examiners. She has also been a contributor to United Way for more than 20 years.
In other news, WestStar Bank has promoted Giselle Smith-Johnson to senior vice president/treasury management group manager. She previously served in the same role as vice president. In addition, Smith-Johnson managed WestStar Bank’s Paycheck Protection Program efforts since joining the team in February 2021.
“I am humbled to lead the WestStar commercial deposit onboarding and treasury management teams,” Smith-Johnson says. “I have had the privilege of serving business clients and catering to their cash management needs throughout my career, and I am excited to continue providing exceptional products and services to our current and future clients.”
Smith-Johnson earned her BBA degree in banking and finance from the University of Mississippi. She currently serves on boards of United Way of El Paso and Kids Excel and is a proud Tiger band and girls basketball parent volunteer. She is also past president of the board of directors of YWCA El Paso del Norte Region and and previously served on the board of Girl Scouts of the Rio Grande. Smith-Johnson participated in both Leadership El Paso and Leadership Texas.
Established in 1990, WestStar Bank serves the El Paso, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and northern Mexico area—collectively known as the Borderplex region.
