TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS

Southern Methodist University

Louisiana-based Origin Bank Adds Haygood and Grimm to East Texas Commercial Banking Team 

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Choudrant, Louisiana-based Origin Bank has hired Scott Haygood as commercial relationship manager/regional executive vice president and Merritt Grimm as commercial relationship banker/senior vice president, serving the East Texas region. They will office at Origin Bank’s Longview Financial Center at 3805 N. Spur 63. “They were both born and raised [in East Texas], and they’ve strengthened … Read more

SW Graduate School of Banking Adds Southern Methodist University’s Sawers to Board of Trustees

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The SW Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business (SWGSB) has added a new trustee to its board of advisors. Kit Sawers, inaugural CEO of Southern Methodist University’s (SMU) new Dallas office and a vice president of the university, has joined the SWGSB board as the SMU representative. In her … Read more

Texas Regional Bank Appoints Willerson President of TRB Trust & Wealth Management

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Harlingen-based Texas Regional Bank has appointed Trey Willerson, CFA, president of TRB Trust & Wealth Management. He will continue to serve as chief investment officer, leading Texas Regional Bank’s Houston-headquartered trust and wealth division, which manages more than $4 billion in assets and serves clients throughout Texas. Willerson joined Texas Regional Bank in 2024 as … Read more

First Financial Bank Abilene Region Announces Leadership Transition and Executive Promotions

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The board of directors of Abilene-based First Financial Bank has announced several leadership transitions and executive promotions within its Abilene region. Following a distinguished career and 35 years of dedicated service to First Financial Bank, Marelyn Shedd has announced she will retire in December. She joined the bank as senior vice president of commercial lending … Read more

Alexander Retires from Wellington State Bank, Marking 40 Years in Texas Panhandle Banking

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Wellington-based Wellington State Bank has announced the retirement of Quinn Alexander, senior vice president and branch president of the bank’s Canyon location, following a career of more than 40 years in the Texas Panhandle. Friends, colleagues, family and community members gathered on July 30 in Canyon for a retirement celebration. Before joining Wellington State Bank … Read more

Louisiana-based Origin Bank Welcomes Klein, Merritt and Reily to Dallas Team 

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Choudrant, Louisiana-based Origin Bank has hired three banking professionals to join its team in North Texas. John Klein joins Origin Bank as a relationship manager at its Preston Financial Center in Dallas. He has more than 21 years of experience in banking, specializing in real estate, middle-market and small-business lending. Klein earned a BA degree … Read more

Texas Gulf Bank Promotes Cash to Chief Credit Officer

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Jessica Cash has been promoted to chief credit officer at Houston-based Texas Gulf Bank. Since joining in 2022, she has overseen credit department operations, led the implementation of the bank’s loan origination system and built a credit analyst training program. In her new role, she will lead the bank’s credit strategy and risk governance as … Read more

Harraman Joins Gulf Capital Bank as Senior Vice President/Business Banking Director

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In June, Houston-based Gulf Capital Bank announced that longtime Houston banker Brent Harraman has joined the bank as senior vice president/business banking director. Harrraman joins Gulf Capital Bank after serving for more than 14 years at Comerica Bank. His last position there was as senior vice president, regional director/small-business banking for Texas, Arizona and Florida. … Read more

Governor Abbott Appoints The First State Bank’s Jenkins to Finance Commission of Texas

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On June 9, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced appointments and reappointments of four individuals to the Finance Commission of Texas, among them a Texas community banker. The commission is the governing body of the state’s banking, savings and loan, and consumer credit agencies. William “Chip” Jenkins, one of those newly appointed to the commission, is … Read more

Security National Bank Promotes Smith to Lead Commercial Lending, Hires Hunt to Head SBA Lending Team

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Omaha, Nebraska-based Security National Bank of Texas has announced the promotion of a new leader for the bank’s commercial lending team and a new hire for SBA sales management. Ian Smith has been promoted to senior vice president/commercial lending team lead. He is based at the bank’s financial center at The Union in Dallas. In … Read more