Community Banking Association Elects Irwin Chairman, Names New Executive Committee

The Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) recently announced that K. Kyle Irwin, president of Gruver-based Western Bank, has been elected chairman of the IBAT board of directors for 2022–23. He officially accepted this position during the association’s 48th annual convention held September 24–27 in Fort Worth. In addition to Irwin, members of the community … Read more

Austin Bank Breaks Ground on New Branch in Gilmer

On September 28, Jacksonville-based Austin Bank broke ground on a new full-service banking center in Gilmer at 611 U.S. Hwy. 271 N. The ceremony was attended by the Gilmer Chamber of Commerce, area business leaders, the Austin Bank leadership team and employees, along with associates from the SLI Group of Houston, the new branch’s architect … Read more

OCC Officials Visit with Community Bankers in West Texas

Michael Hsu, acting comptroller of the currency, and Dr. Yue (Nina) Chen, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s (OCC) newly appointed chief climate risk officer, visited Texas in mid-September to meet with OCC-regulated community bank leaders in Lubbock. Among other topics on the agenda, Hsu was focused on better understanding climate risk and its … Read more

FirstBank & Trust Promotes Langehennig to Private Banker 

Shawn Knox, executive vice president of consumer lending at Lubbock-based FirstBank & Trust, announced the recent promotion of Dena Langehennig to private banker. Langehennig will office at the Midland location at 1111 W. Wall St. She has worked at FirstBank & Trust in Midland for the past 10 years. Since launching her banking career in … Read more

El Paso Inc. Names WestStar Bank’s Conroy One of This Year’s ‘Women of Impact’

Cindy Conroy, director of community outreach at El Paso-based WestStar Bank, has been named one of this year’s “Women of Impact” by El Paso Inc., a West Texas business publication. “She’s the unsung hero behind the scenes,” Rick Francis, WestStar CEO, tells El Paso Inc. Francis describes Conroy’s job at the bank as “a chief … Read more

South Texas Native Riojas Named to Lead Dallas Fed’s San Antonio Branch

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has appointed South Texas native Armida Riojas to lead the bank’s San Antonio branch. In her new role, Riojas, an assistant vice president, is responsible for the branch’s operating and administrative functions. She will continue her current role overseeing the Dallas Fed’s economic education group and the communications and … Read more

Independent Financial Appoints Strodel Chief Banking Officer

On September 6, Independent Bank Group Inc., the holding company for McKinney-based Independent Financial, announced the appointment of Dan Strodel as executive vice president and chief banking officer. He will be responsible for key revenue-generating lines of business, including commercial, middle-market and specialty banking, treasury solutions, SBA, mortgage and private capital management. “Dan has been … Read more

Oklahoma-based Gateway Mortgage Promotes Thompson to South Texas Regional Vice President

Gateway Mortgage, a division of Jenks, Oklahoma-based Gateway First Bank, announced the promotion of Steve Thompson to regional vice president of the bank’s South Texas region. He has been with Gateway since 2016 as an area manager in Lake Jackson, a Houston suburb. Thompson has been Gateway Mortgage’s overall top mortgage producer for several years. … Read more

Texas Capital Bank Taps Anderson to Serve as Fort Worth Market President

Rusty Anderson has joined Dallas-based Texas Capital Bank as Fort Worth market president. He will act as a strategic advisor to the region’s market leadership team, which is responsible for the bank’s overall growth within Fort Worth. In addition to his role as market president, Anderson will serve as executive vice president/middle-market group manager. He … Read more

Oklahoma-based Great Plains Bancshares to Acquire Providence Bank of Texas

On July 26, Great Plains Bancshares Inc., along with its subsidiary, Elk City, Oklahoma-based Great Plains National Bank, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Providence Bancshares Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Southlake-based Providence Bank of Texas SSB. The acquisition expands Great Plains Bancshares’ growing footprint in the Dallas/Fort Worth … Read more