TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE and IDEAS



American Momentum Banks Taps Gardner for Commercial Relationship Management in Bryan/College Station

College Station-based American Momentum Bank has hired Bryan/College Station native Gates Gardner as senior vice president/commercial relationship manager. He brings 27 years of banking experience to his new role. Most recently, Gardner served as senior vice president/market president in Beaumont at Third Coast Bank, where he ranked among the bank’s top five loan producers for … Read more

Third Coast Bank Expands Corporate Banking Leadership with Lacayo’s Appointment

On September 14, Houston-based Third Coast Bank announced the appointment of Bernardo “Bernie” Lacayo as executive vice president/head of corporate banking. He joined the bank in March. Lacayo brings more than three decades of banking and financial services experience, with a track record of building corporate and middle-market banking businesses, developing specialized lending capabilities and … Read more

Third Coast Bancshares Sells Subsidiary’s Commercial Capital Assets to Gulf Coast Bank & Trust

On July 13, Third Coast Bancshares Inc., the holding company of Humble-based Third Coast Bank, announced that it has closed the sale of substantially all of the assets of Third Coast Commercial Capital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the bank, to New Orleans, Louisiana-based Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Co. “The sale…allows us to … Read more

Third Coast Bank Appoints Pawelek Regional President and Head of Houston Corporate Banking

On March 5, Third Coast Bancshares Inc., the holding company of Humble-based Third Coast Bank, announced the appointment of Eva Pawelek to serve as regional president and head of Houston corporate banking. She joined the organization in October 2025 following the merger between Third Coast Bancshares Inc. and Keystone Bancshares Inc. Pawelek will lead the … Read more

Third Coast Bancshares Completes Merger with Keystone Bancshares

On February 2, Third Coast Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Humble-based Third Coast Bank, announced the successful completion of its merger with Keystone Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Bee Cave-based Keystone Bank SSB. The combined company now has total assets in excess of $6 billion. With the merger complete, Third Coast Bancshares will … Read more

Third Coast Bancshares and Keystone Bancshares to Merge

On October 22, Third Coast Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Houston-based Third Coast Bank, and Keystone Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Austin-based Keystone Bank SSB, jointly announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Third Coast will acquire Keystone in a stock and cash transaction valued at approximately $123 million … Read more

Central Bank Hires Welch as Commercial Banker, Minzenmeyer as Deposit Officer

Jeff Welch has joined Houston-based Central Bank to serve as senior vice president and commercial banker at the bank’s West Houston branch. With more than 14 years of banking and financial industry experience in the greater Houston area, his primary focus will be on serving commercial clients across multiple industries, including construction, commercial real estate, … Read more

Third Coast Bancshares Names Deckert Chief Operating Officer, Announces Additional Promotions

On February 16, the board of directors of Third Coast Bancshares Inc., the parent company of Humble-based Third Coast Bank SSB, appointed Michael Deckert executive vice president and chief operating officer of the company. He has served as chief operating officer of Third Coast Bank since January 2022. Prior to joining the Third Coast Bank, Deckert … Read more

Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas and Member Banks Provide $559,000 to Community-based Organizations

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) has had a busy summer partnering with numerous financial institutions to award funding to community-based organizations as part of its Partnership Grant Program (PGP). FHLB Dallas serves approximately 800 members and associated institutions across its five-state district of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. In … Read more