On February 22, Dallas-based Vista Bank announced the appointment of William “Bill” Mahomes to its board of directors. In honor of the occasion, a private celebratory luncheon was held to witness the appointment of the first Black board director in the bank’s 111 year history. Attendees included executives and community leaders such as Harrison Blair, president of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, and James McGee, president and chair of Southern Dallas Progress Community Development Corp.

Formerly a partner at Bracewell LLP, where he remains of counsel, Mahomes joined Vista Bank as executive vice president and general counsel in 2021. He brought to the bank more than 40 years of legal experience. Prior to serving at Bracewell, he was a senior partner for a Dallas-based national law firm, partner for an international law firm, senior vice president and general counsel for a mid-sized local corporation and counsel for the Federal National Mortgage Association. Additionally, he was a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves, serving as company commander and assigned to the JAG Corps.

Mahomes received his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and his JD degree from the University of Texas. Currently, he serves on the board of the Dallas-based Today Foundation and the advisory board of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. He was appointed to the Texas A&M University Board of Regents by Governor Greg Abbott in 2015 and when he was reappointed in 2021, he was also elected vice chairman.

Mahomes previously served on the boards of the Texas Pension Review Board, Texas Turnpike Authority, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, East Texas State University (currently known as Texas A&M University–Commerce), Pure World, the Association of Former Students (TAMU), Kent Financial Services, the Salvation Army, Real Estate Council, Texas Lyceum, Industrial Development Corp., Pro-Line Corp. and MESBIC Ventures.

“I have so much respect for Bill Mahomes and his leadership,” John Steinmetz, Vista Bank president and CEO, said at the luncheon. “We are by no means a perfect bank, but we are working damn hard to make changes in the right direction. I can speak for the board and the McLaughlin family to say we are honored to have Bill Mahomes as a board director.”

Established in 1912, Vista Bank operates more than a dozen banking offices in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, West Texas and Austin.

Thank you to Jess Washington at Dallas Weekly for some of the details included in this article.