Multiple promotions were announced at Longview-based Texas Bank and Trust’s employee awards dinner held in March.
Kristi McLemore was promoted to assistant vice president and operations manager in Canton. She joined Texas Bank and Trust in 2013 in the Canton branch as a bank services representative. She was promoted to assistant operations manager in 2018 and then to operations manager in 2020. McLemore attended Trinity Valley Community College and LeTourneau University. She is also a graduate of the bank’s leadership programs: the Leadership Academy and Corporate University for officers. In the community, McLemore serves on the Canton Main Street board.
Ashley Hernandez has been promoted to assistant vice president and treasury management operations manager in Longview. She joined the bank in 2013, serving in the treasury management department. Her duties include managing the treasury management operations team and the bank’s public fund customer relationships. Hernandez is a graduate of the bank’s Leadership Academy.
Sissy Stevenson is now assistant vice president and payroll and benefits manager in Longview. She has worked in the banking industry for 11 years. She began her career with Texas Bank and Trust in the human resources department as an administrative assistant in 2013. She was promoted to payroll and benefits specialist in 2019 and then to manager in 2021. She currently oversees payroll processes and benefits administration. Stevenson is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking’s Human Resources Management School. She was also selected for the bank’s Leadership Academy. In the community, Stevenson serves as treasurer of the Hallsville High School Cheer and Ladycat Soccer Booster Clubs.
Mason Whitmarsh has been promoted to assistant vice president and portfolio manager in Fort Worth. He joined Texas Bank and Trust in 2021 as a credit analyst before transitioning to a portfolio manager in the bank’s Fort Worth market. He earned both his bachelor’s degree and MBA degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Whitmarsh is a former Division III national champion baseball player for Tyler Junior College, where he also earned an associate of arts degree in business.
Christy Lancaster was promoted to administrative officer and accounts payable specialist in Longview. She joined the accounting division of the bank in 2005, serving as an accounting assistant, accounts payable specialist and lead. Lancaster holds an associate’s degree in accounting from Kilgore College. She is also a U.S. Navy veteran. She was selected for the Texas Bank and Trust Leadership Academy. Lancaster currently serves as treasurer for Scouting Troop 302 in Hallsville.
Melissa Bass was promoted to administrative officer and loan servicing supervisor in Longview. She joined Texas Bank and Trust in 2014, working in escrow/insurance before becoming a universal associate in the bank’s loan servicing department. In this role, she was responsible for processing consumer, commercial and commercial real estate loans. She was promoted to loan servicing supervisor in 2023. Bass was selected for the bank’s Leadership Academy. She serves as an assistant coach for Spring Hill 14U softball.
April Bettis is now administrative officer and HR generalist in Longview. She joined the bank in 2017 as an administrative assistant. In 2021, she was promoted to HR specialist, overseeing employee recruitment and onboarding for Texas Bank and Trust. Bettis holds a Society for Human Resources Management-certified professional designation. She is also a graduate of the bank’s Leadership Academy
Zach Eschberger has been promoted to banking officer and portfolio manager in Lindale. He joined Texas Bank and Trust in 2021 as a credit analyst trainee. Since then, he has been promoted to credit analyst, senior credit analyst and a portfolio manager. Eschberger holds a BBA degree in finance from Henderson State University, where he was also a four-year letterman in baseball. Active in the community, he serves as a Christmas bell ringer for the Salvation Army and has participated in various events and initiatives with both the Lindale Chamber of Commerce and Lindale ISD.
Heather Gajewsky was promoted administrative officer and executive assistant in Longview. She joined Texas Bank and Trust in 2008 in the lending division as a loan processor and commercial lending assistant for more than 10 years on the main bank business and professional banking team. In 2021, she moved into the role of administrative assistant to the president and chief operating officer in the executive division. Gajewsky attended both Kilgore Junior College and Tyler Junior College. In the community, she serves as a pre-K and kindergarten Sunday school teacher at White Oak Community Church and assists with the backpack program. She also serves as secretary on the board of Mercy Manor and coaches her daughter’s T-ball team.
Angie Herndon is now administrative officer and mortgage quality control manager in Longview. She began her career with the bank in 2013, holding several positions in the mortgage department, including quality control specialist and quality control lead. Prior to joining Texas Bank and Trust, Herndon served as a licensed escrow officer for 12 years and a licensed realtor for three years.
Mandy Hooker has been promoted to administrative officer and payments operations manager in Longview. She joined Texas Bank and Trust in 2018 as a specialist in the bank cards department. In 2023, she was promoted to payments operations supervisor. In this role, she oversees the daily operations of the payments department. Hooker is an active member of Financial Women in Texas and the Spring Hill High School band boosters. She was selected for the bank’s prestigious Leadership Academy.
Christyan Lockridge was promoted to administrative officer and loan processing supervisor in Longview. She started her career with Texas Bank and Trust in 2017 as a loan servicing associate before transitioning to loan operations trainer. In 2024, she was promoted to loan processing supervisor. Lockridge attended Kilgore College.
Elizabeth Pierce is now administrative officer and operations manager in Longview. She joined Texas Bank and Trust in 2024 as an operations manager for retail services at the bank’s Pine Tree Financial Complex in Longview. Pierce holds a BS degree from Colorado Technical University. She has more than 20 years of banking experience, having served various financial services roles, most notably as a branch manager and learning and development supervisor prior to moving to Texas.
Julie Smith has been promoted to banking officer and technology and application support supervisor in Longview. She has more than 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry. She joined Texas Bank and Trust in 2023 in the technology department. Prior to joining the bank, she served as an assistant vice president and supervisor of financial services representatives at East Texas Professional Credit Union and as an assistant manager of card services at Eastman Credit Union. Smith holds a BSBA degree from Tennessee Tech University. She is also a graduate of the bank’s Leadership Academy.
Meagan Still was promoted to administrative officer and mortgage coordinator manager in Longview. She began her career with Texas Bank and Trust in 2020 as a mortgage coordinator. In 2024, she was promoted to mortgage coordinator manager in the bank’s residential lending department. There, she oversees daily pipeline management and tracking for loan closings, as well as serves as a liaison between loan officers, underwriters, processors and third-party vendors.
Maranda Strickland is now administrative officer and operations manager in Van. She began her career with Texas Bank and Trust in 2016 as a branch services representative in the bank’s Van branch. She earned an associate of arts degree from Trinity Valley Community College and a BSBA from the University of Texas–Tyler. Strickland served four years in the security forces for the U.S. Air Force.
Windy Weaver has been promoted to administrative officer and digital operations manager in Longview. She joined Texas Bank and Trust in 2011 as a float teller in the retail services department. She later transitioned to the bank’s service center as a customer care specialist before joining the T3 tech support team as a digital specialist. In this role, she became a team lead before her promotion to operations supervisor in 2021. Weaver currently oversees the operations of the bank’s digital services team as the digital operations manager. She frequently leads presentations for groups on the features and benefits of digital services.
Established in 1958, Texas Bank and Trust Co. operates twenty-one full-service branches throughout East Texas and the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.
