TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
On May 1, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) announced the re-election of Texas Banking Commissioner Charles G. Cooper as chair of the FFIEC’s State Liaison Committee (SLC) for a one-year term that runs until April 30, 2027. Cooper has been a member of the SLC and served as its chair since 2023. Cooper … Read more
On May 4, Dallas-based Harmony Bank announced that it has hired Anne Witherspoon to serve as executive vice president and chief operating officer. She brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in banking operations, client experience, treasury services, project and product management, training and development and compliance management. Prior to joining Harmony Bank, Witherspoon was … Read more
Harry J. “Johnny” Brooks, chair and CEO of Woodville-based Citizens State Bank, has been named 2026 Mr. East Texas as part of the community’s 83rd Annual Tyler County Dogwood Festival in Woodville, held on weekends in March and April. The Dogwood Festival is the longest-running outdoor celebration in Texas. Citizens State Bank has supported it … Read more
Jacksonville-based Austin Bank hired three team members in April, as announced by Jeff Austin III, chair. Dan Taylor has joined the bank as senior vice president/relationship manager in the Creekside Park location. He has a varied background in finance, banking, real estate, aviation and entrepreneurship. With two decades of experience in banking, he joins Austin … Read more
On April 23, Dallas-based Texas Capital announced several executive leadership appointments that, according to the bank, “are designed to scale the firm’s clearly differentiated platform in its next phase of growth.” Jeff Hood has been appointed managing director/chief human resources officer. He joins Texas Capital from Citizens Financial Group with more than 25 years of … Read more
In April, Mount Pleasant-based Pilgrim Bank announced that it has hired John Russell to serve as vice president/relationship manager and Ben Taylor has joined the bank as assistant vice president/relationship manager. Prior to joining Pilgrim Bank, Russell spent the better part of 16 years in public education, in both the classroom as an agriculture science … Read more
On October 6, Cincinatti-Ohio-based Fifth Third Bancorp and Dallas-based Comerica Inc. announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Fifth Third will acquire Comerica in an all-stock transaction valued at $10.9 billion. This transaction brings together two long-tenured banking franchises to create the ninth largest U.S. bank with approximately $288 billion … Read more
On September 30, United Way of Greater Houston announced that Julie Young Sudduth, executive vice president and regional president for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based PNC Bank in Houston, has been named chair of the 2025–26 annual community campaign, a major fundraising effort that supports a wide range of community services helping neighbors find their pathway to financial … Read more
On October 1, Texas Banking Commissioner Charles G. Cooper announced that Bells-based Cendera Bank National Association has completed its conversion to a Texas state-chartered bank from a national banking association. The bank began operating as Cendera Bank under its new charter effective October 1. The bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cendera Financial Holdings Inc. … Read more
Willow Park-based First Bank Texas has promoted Brooks Ferguson to chief credit officer. He has been an integral part of the bank’s leadership team. In his new role, he will oversee the bank’s credit administration, lending policies and risk management practices. “Brooks has demonstrated exceptional leadership and deep knowledge of credit management,” notes Zan Prince, … Read more