TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
TEXAS BANKING NEWS, PEOPLE AND IDEAS
William J. Renfro, longtime banker and a pillar of the Austin business community, passed away on February 29. Born in Glasgow, Kentucky, and raised in Port Lavaca, according to his obituary, Renfro “dedicated his career to the banking industry and eventually the betterment of his beloved city of Austin. Throughout his illustrious career, he made … Read more
Longtime Texas banker and rancher John A. Cole of Lampasas passed away on December 24, 2023, in Dallas at the age of 92. Born in 1931 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, he held a BS degree and MS degree in geological engineering from the University of Oklahoma, then went on to earn an MBA degree from … Read more
First National Bank of Giddings CEO Bill Landiss with IBAT’s Mae Beth Palone showing their respective allegiances in 2014Mae Beth Palone, who led the IBAT Leadership Division for the Independent Bankers Association of Texas for many years, passed away on June 25 from injuries sustained in a car accident. Palone was born in Klamath Falls, … Read more
Karl Edward Hill passed away on May 22 at the age of 58 at his home in Columbus. At the time of his passing, he was CEO and chairman of the board at Columbus-based The First State Bank, capping a 35-year career there. Hill attended Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) and played … Read more
Charles Allen Angel Jr., 87, passed away on October 23 at his home in Dallas. A lifelong banker, he served in executive positions at numerous Texas banks for decades. He will always be remembered as the original Charlie Angel as he often reminded folks that he was here before there was a Charlie’s Angels TV … Read more
James E. Campbell, the founder of Shelby Savings Bank, passed away on November 12 in Center, Texas. He was 97. In addition to his decades of service to the banking industry, he was an entrepreneur who launched numerous businesses in his lifetime and served communities in Shelby County his whole life. Campbell first worked in … Read more
On October 29, Charles “Charlie” E. Cheever Jr., chairman emeritus of San Antonio-based Broadway Bank, passed away at the age of 93. Born on an army base in Manila, Philippines, Charlie, as he was best known, was the son of Broadway Bank founders Col. Charles E. Cheever Sr. and Elizabeth Cheever. A West Point graduate, Cheever … Read more
Longtime banker Emmet Ross Harris, affectionately known as “Big Daddy” by his grandchildren, passed away on October 10. He was 75. In 2010, Harris was diagnosed with liver cancer. After exhausting other treatment options, he received a liver transplant in 2012. He was fortunate to receive this gift of life from an unknown organ donor, … Read more
Longtime Texas banker Lee Roy Gaskamp Jr., 69, passed away on September 6 after an exhausting battle with COVID-19. During his lifetime, he served at several community banks and as a commissioned state bank examiner with the Texas Department of Banking before founding the Bank of Brenham in 2001. He served as the bank’s president … Read more
Lowell “Stretch” Smith Jr., longtime banker and avid civic supporter in Johnson County, passed away on August 29. He was 88. For decades, he helped lead the First State Bank of Rio Vista. Smith grew up on a family ranch near Rio Vista. Many people knew him as “Stretch,” a nickname acquired from his high … Read more