On May 5, the Texas Bankers Foundation, the charitable arm of the Texas Bankers Association, announced the 15 recipients of its 2026 Cornerstone and Leader in Financial Education (LiFE) Awards. These honors recognize work that goes above and beyond in its commitment to community engagement and financial education across Texas.
“These awards celebrate the banks and bankers who serve with heart,” says Chris Furlow, president and CEO of the Texas Bankers Association. “The 2026 recipients represent the best of Texas banking through their commitment to service, financial education and meaningful community impact. We are proud to recognize their leadership and congratulate them on this well-earned honor.”
The Cornerstone Awards recognize outstanding community service projects and partnerships led by banks that strengthen the communities they serve. This year’s recipients include seven bank projects, ranging from disaster recovery and affordable housing to school support, community partnerships and internal service programs.
This year’s Cornerstone Award winners:
- Commercial Bank of Texas NA, Nacogdoches, Interact with the Jacks;
- First Financial Bank, Abilene, Rebuild ABI;
- First National Bank Texas, Killeen, CRA Academy;
- FirstBank Southwest, Amarillo, Built to Stay: FirstBank Southwest’s Faith. Family. Bank. Fund;
- PointBank, Pilot Point, All in for Education;
- TexasBank, Fort Worth, TexasBank Touchdown; and
- Vantage Bank, San Antonio, Back to School Teacher Wishlist Sponsorship Program;
The LiFE Awards (Leader in Financial Education) honor institutions and individuals who demonstrate excellence in promoting financial education and equipping Texans with the tools to build a secure financial future. The 2026 winners include four bank programs and four individual honorees recognized for expanding access to practical financial education across Texas.
This year’s Bank LiFE Award winners:
- Amegy Bank, Houston, EnRiching Tomorrow;
- SouthWest Bank, Odessa, Serving our Community with Purpose;
- Texas National Bank, Edinburg, TNB Financial Wellness; and
- Vantage Bank, San Antonio, Entrepreneur Week at Rivertree Academy;
This year’s LiFE Individual Recognition Award recipients:
- Maebeth Cotton, assistant vice president and marketing specialist, Austin Bank, Jacksonville;
- Gabriela Ramirez, corporate trainer, Falcon Bank, Laredo;
- Lisa Rushing, senior vice president and director of community engagement, North Dallas Bank & Trust Co., Dallas; and
- Chris Schjetnan, director of community lending and outreach, First Financial Bank, Abilene.
For more information about the 2026 Cornerstone and LiFE Award recipients, check out the May–June issue of Texas Banking Magazine.
