TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
Harlan Raymond Heitkamp, founder and former chairman of Corpus Christi-based ValueBank Texas, passed away on February 6. Raised in Bracken, he attended Texas Tech University, earning a master’s degree in civil engineering. After marrying his wife of 64 years, Gerry, in 1958, the couple moved to Corpus Christi where Heitkamp worked for the City of … Read more
Bankers Helping Bankers, an online platform that promotes innovation among community banks, has named Discover Financial Services’ PULSE debit network its exclusive debit partner. The agreement builds upon PULSE’s longstanding support of community banks and the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT), which co-founded Bankers Helping Bankers in partnership with FedFis. As the exclusive debit … Read more
On January 2, the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame announced its 2023 inductees who will be honored at the 10th Annual Texas Bankers Hall of Fame Gala, April 27 on the campus of Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. Five iconic bankers—Kenneth L. Burgess Jr., Ron Butler, James D. Goudge, J. Pat Parsons and the late … Read more
On December 6, Dr. Charlie McCormick, president of Schreiner University in Kerrville, announced the launch of the university’s new banking program, created to help students navigate rural-focused banking needs in Texas. Schreiner University students will be admitted into the program by the end of their sophomore year. Upon acceptance, they will receive a scholarship for … Read more
B.A. Donelson, 86, of Amarillo passed away on November 22. Born and raised in the Texas Panhandle, he attended Arlington State College on a football scholarship and continued his education at Texas Tech University, playing on the varsity baseball team. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and finance in 1958. After college, Donelson returned … Read more
Longtime Texas banker and distinguished retired military leader Col. Ervan Zouzalik passed away peacefully on November 4 in Flatonia. He was 86. He served on active duty in the U.S. Army for 24 years before launching a successful banking career in the 1980s. In 1960, Zouzalik graduated from Texas A&M University as part of the … Read more
Bee Cave-based Keystone Bank raised $18 million in its latest round of funding—with an industry expert noting that its growth makes it one of the fastest-growing banks in the country. The fresh funds will be used to expand the bank’s team, enhance its banking technology and put the four-year-old community bank on track to handle … Read more
As the Bankers Helping Bankers (BHB) network expands, community banks can now participate in BHB’s new Test Pilots program and be among the innovative bankers to test fintech products and services. These screened, early-stage fintech companies need the partnership of banks to establish their viability in providing stable solutions for the banking industry. “The BHB … Read more
On October 7, the Texas Bankers Association (TBA) and the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) announced that more than $360,000 has been raised to support those directly impacted by the Robb School shooting in Uvalde on May 24. The joint effort, administered through the Texas Bankers Foundation, has concluded and has distributed all funds … Read more
Members of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) will return to Colorado for the 22nd Annual Winter Summit, January 29–31 at the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa in Avon, at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain. The meeting provides a memorable opportunity for bankers to have face-to-face interaction and invaluable conversations with senior regulators … Read more