TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS
In late September, the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) announced that Gabe Guerra, president and CEO of Corpus Christi-based Kleberg Bank, has been elected chair of the IBAT board of directors for 2026–27. He officially accepted the position during the association’s 52nd Annual Convention held September 19–22 in San Antonio. In addition to Guerra, … Read more
The Education Foundation of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) is gearing up for the fourth-annual IBAT EDGE, a program that offers two days of education, renowned industry keynote speakers and leadership development training focused on community banks in Texas. The goal is to Educate, Develop, Guide and Empower (EDGE) community bank employees. This … Read more
The Independent Bankers Association of Texas’ IBAT Education Foundation will host the 2025 Women in Community Banking Conference, October 22 and 23 in Fort Worth. A forum for women at all levels of the community banking industry to come together to share, learn and grow from one another’s experiences, the event will feature deep dives … Read more
On May 28, San Antonio-based Frost Bank announced that Cliff McCauley, senior executive vice president, has decided to retire in June. He spent 42 years of his 44-year career at Frost Bank in the correspondent banking division, working with banks across Texas. In 2020, McCauley also took on responsibility for treasury management, merchant services and … Read more
The Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) Education Foundation, in conjunction with the SW Graduate School of Banking Foundation, announced that Kelsey Goates, vice president and market manager at TexasBank in Stephenville, and Leslie Gonzalez, senior vice president at Stockmens National Bank in Cotulla, have been selected as recipients of the 2025 Women in Community … Read more
The Independent Bankers Association of Texas’ IBAT Education Foundation has announced a new day-long conference coming this fall: Women in Community Banking, a forum for women at all levels of the community banking industry to come together to share, learn and grow from one another’s experiences. The event will be held on October 30, with … Read more
The Education Foundation of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) is gearing up for the second-annual IBAT EDGE, a program that offers two days of education, renowned industry keynote speakers and leadership development training focused on community banks in Texas. The goal is to Educate, Develop, Guide and Empower (EDGE) community bank employees. This … Read more
The Education Foundation of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) is gearing up for the debut of IBAT EDGE, a new program that offers two-and-a-half days of education, renowned industry keynote speakers and leadership development training focused on community banks in Texas. The goal is to Educate, Develop, Guide and Empower (EDGE) community bank … Read more
The Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) recently honored two trailblazers in Texas community banking with the organization’s 2021 Excellence in Leadership Award. Hazem Ahmed, Houston area president at Independent Financial, and Julie Courtney, CAE, CMP, president of IBAT Services Inc. in Austin, were presented this prestigious award during the association’s Connecting Leaders Conference held … Read more
On June 3, the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) announced that Shay Iacoponelli has been elected president of the IBAT Education Foundation by the association’s board of directors. The IBAT Education Foundation helps “build better bankers” by offering education programs for community bankers at every stage of their career. IBAT’s education opportunities include IBAT’s … Read more