TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
American Banker has released its 2025 list of the “Best Banks to Work For,” which includes 13 banks based in Texas and banks that do significant business in the Lone Star State. The 2025 list of the 90 best banks has a few newcomers, including the one that nabbed the No. 1 spot—Wood & Huston … Read more
The SW Graduate School of Banking (SWGSB) at Southern Methodist University has announced its highest honors for 2025. H. Gary Blankenship, chair, CEO and chief lending officer of Bank of the West, will be honored with the Distinguished Service Award on May 29. The following week, on June 5, Ron Butler, chair and CEO of … Read more
American Banker has released its 2024 list of the “Best Banks to Work For,” which includes nine banks based in Texas. Northbrook, Illinois-based First Bank Chicago was ranked No. 1 in this year’s list among 90 banks in the 12th annual ranking. The banks on the 2024 list range in size from the 52-employee First … Read more
American Banker has released its 2023 list of the “Best Banks to Work For,” which includes 11 banks based in Texas or with operations in Texas among the 90 listed. Like last year and the year before, Oakworth Capital Bank in Birmingham, Alabama, was ranked the Best Bank to Work For. First Federal Savings & … Read more
Longtime Lubbock banker James Michael Terrell passed away on April 19. He was 71. Better known as Mike, he previously served as president and CEO at Vernon-based Waggoner National Bank, then as vice chairman of the board starting in 2014. According to his obituary, Terrell was a teacher at heart. After serving several years as … Read more
Harlan Raymond Heitkamp, founder and former chairman of Corpus Christi-based ValueBank Texas, passed away on February 6. Raised in Bracken, he attended Texas Tech University, earning a master’s degree in civil engineering. After marrying his wife of 64 years, Gerry, in 1958, the couple moved to Corpus Christi where Heitkamp worked for the City of … Read more
On December 19, Farmers Branch-based TIB, the nation’s largest bankers’ bank, announced 12 officer promotions. The following individuals were promoted to senior vice president: Jennifer Becherer was promoted to senior vice president/director of human resources. She joined TIB in 2019 and is a graduate of Southern Methodist University. Andy Castle has been promoted to senior … Read more
American Banker has released its 2022 list of the “Best Banks to Work For,” which includes 11 banks based in Texas or with operations in Texas among the 90 listed. Like last year, Oakworth Capital Bank in Birmingham, Alabama, was ranked the Best Bank to Work For. Greater Community Bank in Rome, Georgia, is the smallest bank … Read more
The Texas Tech School of Banking recently completed its 2022 session. Banking professionals from across Texas and three other states convened at Rawls College of Business on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock for the program. Established in 1973, the school offers a blend of traditional academic coursework and interactive lecture sessions hosted … Read more
On September 9, Farmers Branch-based TIB, the nation’s largest bankers’ bank, announced 10 officer promotions. Matthew Ayers, senior vice president, has been promoted to director of compliance and risk. He joined TIB in 2017 and holds a BS degree from the University of Arizona. Paula Edwards, senior vice president, has been promoted to assistant director … Read more