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 February 18, Texas City-based Texas First Bank announced the appointment of nine senior executives to its advisory board of directors. These new advisory directors bring deep expertise and regional ties from across key operational areas, including technology, risk management, retail banking and lending. The advisory directors will provide strategic guidance to the Texas First … Read more
To recognize banks (and credit unions) making a meaningful difference, Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group have published “America’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions 2026.” The methodology utilized the Texas Ratio (a measure of a bank’s credit quality), as well as reviewed profitability and net loans and leases, press coverage over the past two years, … Read more
Natalie Saikowski Goertz has joined Texas City-based Texas First Bank to serve as senior vice president and director of treasury management. An Athena Leadership Award recipient, she brings extensive experience in corporate and public fund banking to the bank’s treasury management team in The Woodlands. Before joining Texas First Bank, Goertz was president and CEO … Read more
In September, the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) honored the 2025 top winners of its Best of Community Banking (BOCB) Awards. McAllen-based Lone Star National Bank won Best of Show for its community service entry “Starr County Volunteerism.” The 2025 BOCB Best of Show, Community Spirit and Gold Eagle Award recipients were recognized at … Read more
Texas City-based Texas First Bank has hired Lee Garza to join its team in Pasadena as vice president/relationship manager. In addition, the bank has hired Tip Spata to serve as SBA business development officer and sales lead. With more than 20 years in banking, Garza brings a variety of experiences to his new position—from personal … Read more
The July 4 and 5 flash floods across Central Texas—particularly along the Guadalupe River in the Hill Country—resulted in more than 135 deaths, a handful of people still missing and catastrophic financial impacts in the multi-billion-dollar range, with some estimates between $18 and $22 billion. Texas banks rallied immediately to help in the aftermath of the … Read more
In early July, catastrophic flash flooding swept through Central Texas, especially in the Hill Country, overwhelming rivers like the Guadalupe and devastating communities across Kerr, Comfort and Midland counties. Amid widespread destruction and an urgent need for relief, Texas’s community banks stepped up, demonstrating their longtime role as both local economic stewards and frontline responders … Read more
Texas City-based Texas First Bank has promoted John Morrell to chief credit officer and advisory director. He succeeds David A. Daspit, who, after more than 18 years of managing the credit department at Texas First Bank, is transitioning to take a credit advisory role. Morrell joined Texas First Bank in 2020 as regional loan president … Read more
To honor regional banks that positively impact their communities, Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group publish an annual list of “America’s Best Regional Banks [and Credit Unions]”* every December. The publication’s 2025 list includes 46 regional banks that operate in Texas, with 39 banks based in the Lone Star State. As Newsweek states, “Regional banks…are the … Read more