TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
Longtime East Texas banker Jane Austin Chapman passed away peacefully on November 2 in her hometown of Frankston. She was a third-generation banker. Her grandfather, John F. Austin Sr., founded the First State Bank of Frankston in 1909, and her father, Jeff Austin Sr., served there as president starting in 1946. Jeff Austin Sr. went … Read more
William L. “Billy” Mullins, senior executive vice president, chief risk officer and director at Jacksonville-based Austin Bank, announced his retirement after a banking career spanning 51 years, effective July 17. Mullins started his banking career in 1974 as an assistant national bank examiner for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). In 1979, … Read more
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
Laurel Ann (Sissy) Phillips Austin, chief lending officer, investment officer and member of the board of directors at Jacksonville-based Austin Bank and its parent company, Austin Bancorp Inc., passed away on August 29 after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease. She was 83. Austin grew up in Jacksonville, graduated as valedictorian from the Jacksonville High … Read more
On October 12, Jacksonville-based Austin Bank broke ground on a new full-service banking center in Montgomery at the corner of Hwy. 105 W and Blue Heron Dr. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce, area business leaders, the Austin Bank leadership team and employees, along with the SLI Group Inc. … Read more
Jacksonville-based Austin Bank recently unveiled a new logo, tagline and brand colors. “Same bank. Same name. Same family. New look,” the East Texas-based notes. The rebranding is part of the long-term vision for the bank. The new tagline—“With you for good”—speaks to its commitment to “being there for [customers] in happy times and in tough … Read more
The board of directors of Jacksonville-based Austin Bank announced a change in their corporate office at the November meeting. Jeff Austin Jr. has been elected senior chairman of the board and his son, Jeff Austin III, has been named chairman of the board. This transition continues the Austin family legacy of banking into the fourth generation. … Read more
Jeff Austin Jr., chairman of the board of Jacksonville-based Austin Bank, recently announced the hiring of Daniel Wolfson as senior vice president and market president. Wolfson is a tenured banker with more than 18 years in the financial services industry. His experience with credit analysis, loan production and management will be a tremendous asset as growth … Read more