TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS
Colorado City-based City National Bank has hired four associates to join its Abilene team and one in San Angelo, as well as announcing new board appointments. Monica Houston is the new market president of City National Bank in Abilene. She began her banking career while in college and has since built more than 30 years … Read more
Plains Bancorp Inc., the holding company for Dimmitt-based First United Bank and Spirit Mortgage, announced 11 company promotions in the new year. Staci Ortiz: senior vice president of Spirit Mortgage. She has been with the bank since 2017 and has 20 years of mortgage experience. She graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in … Read more
In the new year, San Antonio-based Jefferson Bank announced key executive promotions upon the retirement of Danny Butler, the bank’s longtime president and CEO, who retired at the end of 2025. Butler retired after 26 years of service at Jefferson Bank and nearly 50 years in the banking industry. Under his leadership, the bank expanded … Read more
Josie Herrera has joined Brownwood-based TexasBank’s El Paso team as a mortgage lender. With more than 20 years of experience in mortgage lending and five years in the title business, she brings deep expertise and a proven record of helping families achieve the dream of homeownership. Throughout her career, Herrera has originated a wide range … Read more
On August 18, Weatherford-based First Bank Texas announced the hiring of Mark Drennan to serve as chief lending officer. With more than 25 years of leadership experience in commercial banking across North Texas, he will oversee lending across the bank’s growing network of locations, working closely with commercial banking, commercial real estate, mortgage and consumer … Read more
Dallas-based Polunsky Beitel Green LLP, a prominent residential mortgage law firm that serves Texas banks, announced that Hannah Barton has joined its business development team. She brings more than 12 years of experience in the residential mortgage industry, including expertise in client success, strategic partnerships and operational leadership. She is based in the firm’s Dallas … Read more
Dallas-based Sunflower Bank has hired Bo Scott to serve as executive vice president and chief banking officer. Based at the bank’s headquarters in Dallas, he will and oversee the strategy, management and growth of the bank’s middle-market efforts in all regional markets. “Bo will partner with our regional business leaders and Brian Walsh, our chief … Read more
Wichita Falls-based American National Bank & Trust announced that it has hired Philip Strange to serve as senior vice president/mortgage lending. With nearly 30 years in the mortgage industry, he brings a wealth of experience in community bank mortgage division start-ups, process improvements and customer-focused lending. In his new role, he will specialize in employee … Read more
On June 27, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the appointment of Marty Green, principal at the law firm Polunsky Beitel Green (PBG), to the Finance Commission of Texas, the body that regulates the state’s consumer credit, banking and mortgage lending activity. Widely recognized as one of the nation’s foremost legal authorities on residential mortgage lending, … Read more
Tracy Harris, president and CEO of La Grange-based National Bank & Trust, recently announced several promotions. Jennifer Schattle, CIA, has been promoted to assistant vice president, BSA/AML officer and assistant compliance officer. She previously served as compliance specialist. As BSA/AML officer, she is responsible for the implementation and administration of all aspects of the Bank … Read more