TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
Laura Acosta has been promoted to chief transformation officer at Texas City-based Texas First Bank. In this newly created position, she will partner with the CEO and executive team to execute strategic and operational priorities, coordinate high‑impact initiatives and lead cross‑functional transformation efforts across the organization. Acosta brings more than 15 years of banking and … Read more
On May 4, the Texas Bankers Foundation, the charitable arm of the Texas Bankers Association, announced the 12 recipients of the 2026 Emerging Leader Awards. Nominated by their bank’s president, CEO or board chair, these rising stars were selected for their exceptional leadership, commitment to service and impact on the banking industry. “These honorees are … Read more
On May 21, Albany-based Clear Fork Bank announced the appointment of James Arnold as the bank’s next president and chief executive officer. Tim Cooper will continue serving in a leadership role supporting the transition. Under Cooper’s leadership, Clear Fork Bank experienced historic growth, surpassing $1 billion in assets while expanding its presence and impact in … Read more
The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has tapped Arturo Barrio to serve as vice president and regional executive for El Paso. He will focus on building relationships with local businesses and community groups to gain greater insight into the surrounding economy, which includes West Texas and southern New Mexico. As regional executive for the only … Read more
Killeen-based First National Bank Texas recently marked its 125th anniversary with a celebration recognizing the bank’s long history and continuing role in the communities it serves. Established in 1901—only 19 years after the city of Killeen was established—the bank has grown from a Central Texas community bank into an institution with more than $4.5 billion … Read more
On May 18, Groom-based State National Bank announced the appointment of Tracy Harris as president and chief executive officer. She brings more than 30 years of community banking experience, including seven years as a president and CEO, to her new job. Harris joins State National Bank from Texas Regional Bank, a $2.7 billion institution headquartered … Read more
On April 13, TNB Bancshares Inc., the holding company for Mercedes-based Texas National Bank, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Zapata Bancshares Inc. and its bank subsidiary, Zapata-based Zapata National Bank. This acquisition aligns with Texas National Bank’s 2025 expansion into Starr County through the acquisition Roma-based Citizens State Bank. The … Read more
On May 4, Dallas-based Harmony Bank announced that it has hired Anne Witherspoon to serve as executive vice president and chief operating officer. She brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in banking operations, client experience, treasury services, project and product management, training and development and compliance management. Prior to joining Harmony Bank, Witherspoon was … Read more
Fort Worth-based TexasBank has hired Matt Duncan to serve as executive vice president/chief credit officer. He brings more than 30 years of experience in community banking and risk management. Duncan’s career spans senior leadership roles in credit administration, enterprise risk management and loan portfolio oversight. Before joining TexasBank, he held executive roles at regional community … Read more
On April 23, Dallas-based Texas Capital announced several executive leadership appointments that, according to the bank, “are designed to scale the firm’s clearly differentiated platform in its next phase of growth.” Jeff Hood has been appointed managing director/chief human resources officer. He joins Texas Capital from Citizens Financial Group with more than 25 years of … Read more