Louisiana-based b1BANK Names Vascocu Bank President

On October 17, Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based b1BANK announced that N. Jerome “Jerry” Vascocu Jr. will be the bank’s new president, reporting to Jude Melville, who will retain the title of chair and CEO. b1BANK currently operates 18 banking offices in Texas. Vascocu, who joined b1BANK in 2022 as chief administrative officer, oversees the coordination of … Read more

Louisiana’s Business First Merger with Texas’ Oakwood Bancshares Approved by Regulators

In September, Business First Bancshares, the holding company for Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based b1BANK, received regulatory approvals to complete its merger with Oakwood Bancshares, the holding company for Dallas-based Oakwood Bank, a Texas banking association. “We appreciate our regulatory partners’ efficient review of the proposed transaction as well as the strong affirmation expressed by the Oakwood … Read more

Louisiana-based Business First Bancshares to Acquire Oakwood Bancshares and Oakwood Bank

On April 25, Business First Bancshares Inc., the holding company for Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based b1Bank, announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Oakwood Bancshares Inc. and its subsidiary, Dallas-based Oakwood Bank, in an all-stock transaction for total consideration value of approximately $85.7 million based on the company’s closing price of $21.57 per … Read more

American Banker’s 2023 ‘Best Banks to Work For’ List Includes 11 Texas-based Financial Institutions

American Banker has released its 2023 list of the “Best Banks to Work For,” which includes 11 banks based in Texas or with operations in Texas among the 90 listed. Like last year and the year before, Oakworth Capital Bank in Birmingham, Alabama, was ranked the Best Bank to Work For. First Federal Savings & … Read more

American Banker’s 2022 ‘Best Banks to Work For’ List Includes Texas-based Financial Institutions

American Banker has released its 2022 list of the “Best Banks to Work For,” which includes 11 banks based in Texas or with operations in Texas among the 90 listed. Like last year, Oakworth Capital Bank in Birmingham, Alabama, was ranked the Best Bank to Work For. Greater Community Bank in Rome, Georgia, is the smallest bank … Read more

Louisiana’s Business First Bancshares Completes Acquisition of Texas Citizens Bancorp, Expands in Houston Market

Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Business First Bancshares Inc., the holding company for b1BANK, has completed its acquisition of Texas Citizens Bancorp Inc. and its wholly owned bank subsidiary, Pasadena-based Texas Citizens Bank National Association. The acquisition became effective March 1. “This partnership in the Houston area is an important step in the widening of our footprint … Read more

American Banker’s 2021 ‘Best Banks to Work For‘ List Includes Texas-based Financial Institutions

American Banker has released its 2021 list of the “Best Banks to Work For”—aka: “Best Banks to Keep Working For”—which includes 10 banks based in Texas among the 90 listed. Explaining the slight change in the title of this year’s list, American Banker notes that “good employees are hard to find—and keep. Competition for talent … Read more

Louisiana-based Business First Bancshares and Texas Citizens Bancorp Announce Merger

On October 21, Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Business First Bancshares Inc., the holding company for b1BANK, and Texas Citizens Bancorp Inc. jointly announced the signing of a definitive agreement under which Business First will acquire Texas Citizens and its wholly owned bank subsidiary, Pasadena-based Texas Citizens Bank NA. Following the completed transaction, the combined institution is … Read more