TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS



Amarillo National Bank Celebrates New Medical Center Branch with Community Donations

On October 17, Amarillo National Bank celebrated the grand opening of its 29th branch, located at the Amarillo Medical Center at 1700 Coulter St. This branch opening marks Amarillo National Bank’s first new branch in the city in 15 years. In honor of the new financial center, the bank presented two $25,000 donations to area … Read more

First Liberty National Banchares to Acquire First National Bank of Alvin and Pearland State Bank

On October 17, Charles McGuire, chairman of First Liberty National Bancshares Inc., the holding company of Liberty-based First Liberty Bank, and Kelly Stretcher, president and CEO of First Liberty Bank, announced that a definitive agreement has been executed wherein First Liberty National Bancshares Inc., has agreed to acquire 100 percent of the issued and outstanding … Read more

Jacksonville-based Austin Bank Announces Agreement to Acquire Chasewood Bank

On October 16, Jeff Austin III, chairman of the board of Jacksonville-based Austin Bank, announced that Austin Bancorp Inc., the bank’s parent company, has entered into an agreement to acquire Houston-based Chasewood Bank. Chasewood Bank serves northern Harris County with two locations and reports assets of approximately $88 million. The merger is expected to close … Read more

WestStar Bank to Sell Insurance Agency Assets in El Paso to Hub International Ltd.

On October 1, El Paso-based WestStar Bank and Chicago, Illinois-based Hub International Limited, a leading global insurance brokerage and financial services firm, jointly announced the sale of the assets of WestStar Insurance Agency Inc. to Hub. Located in El Paso, WestStar Insurance is a subsidiary of WestStar Bank. It has focused on business insurance, employee … Read more

Susser Bank Opens First Full-Service Branch in Austin

Dallas-based Susser Bank has opened its first full-service branch in Austin, just a few miles from the state capitol and the University of Texas. Located on the first floor at 901 S. MoPac Expwy., the branch is situated within Barton Oaks Plaza, a prime spot to support Austin’s rapid economic growth. “Susser Bank first entered … Read more

Liberty Capital Bank and Texas Heritage Bank to Merge, Strengthening Decades-Long Partnership

On September 19, Liberty Capital Bancshares Inc., the holding company for Addison-based Liberty Capital Bank, announced its plans to merge with Southwestern Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Boerne-based Texas Heritage Bank. The merger is based upon long-standing respect and mentorship between Texas Heritage Bank principals Jack Griggs and Steve Mack and the co-founder of Liberty … Read more

Illinois-based First Busey Corp. Enters Texas Market with Kansas-based CrossFirst Bankshares Merger

On August 27, Champaign, Illinois-based First Busey Corp., the holding company for Busey Bank, and Leawood, Kansas-based CrossFirst Bankshares Inc., the holding company for CrossFirst Bank, announced their plan to merge, pursuant to which CrossFirst will merge with and into Busey in an all-common stock transaction valued at approximately $916.8 million, based on Busey’s closing … Read more

Oklahoma-based Bank Opens First Texas Branch in Frisco as First Lonestar Bank

First Lonestar Bank, a division of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma-based First Liberty Bank, has entered the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex with the opening of its full-service office in Frisco on July 11. The branch is located at 2600 Dallas Pkwy., Ste. 140. First Lonestar Bank operated a loan production office in Frisco since January 2023. First Liberty … Read more

National Bank & Trust Opens Branch in Corpus Christi

In partnership with the United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, La Grange-based National Bank & Trust celebrated the grand opening of its newest branch in Corpus Christi with a ribbon cutting, followed by a festive reception. Chartered in 1888, National Bank & Trust is a full-service bank that has been a major contributor to the … Read more

Unlocking Growth: A Practical Guide to Leveraging Your Bank’s Data

By ACHIM GRIESEL and DR. SEAN PAYANT In the digital age, financial institutions find themselves sitting on a goldmine of data—a treasure trove with the potential to revolutionize the way they operate. From understanding consumer spending habits to predicting financial needs, institutions want to leverage that data to drive success in an ever-evolving industry. Before … Read more