First United Bank Seeks to Break World Record Through United Acts of Kindness Day

February 17 is Random Acts of Kindness Day in the U.S. Founded in 1995 in Denver, Colorado, by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, the day celebrates and encourages random acts of kindness across the nation. This year, Dallas-based First United Bank is seeking to break a world record by completing 50,000 acts of kindness in a … Read more

New Book Guides Banks in Protecting Their Loan Portfolios

Former banker Peter S. Clarke has published a new book titled Complete Guide to Protecting Your Loan Portfolio, available as a Kindle e-book on Amazon.com. The book addresses strategies for turn-around, debt restructuring, special assets, lender liability and bankruptcy. “Most bankers cannot unequivocally declare that they have been untouched by problem loans,” Clarke notes. “Certainly it … Read more

Orr Retiring as CEO of FirstBank & Trust, Will Continue as Board Chair with Garland as New CEO

On January 28, Lubbock-based FirstBank & Trust of Texas announced the retirement of CEO Barry Orr, effective March 31. He is the organizer and founder of the bank, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year. Orr will continue to serve as chairman of the board for FirstBank & Trust, as well as on the board … Read more

Oklahoma-Based Valliance Bank Names Bruhn Chief Lending Officer

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma-based Valliance Bank, which operates Texas locations in McKinney and Fort Worth, announced that Shelby Bruhn has been elected chief lending officer and executive vice president by the board of directors. He joined the bank in 2016 and has more than 20 years of experience. Bruhn has served as Texas market president and commercial lender … Read more

Crossroads Bank Welcomes Gonzales and Morris, Promotes Walyuchow Dick

Yoakum-based Crossroads Bank recently announced the hiring of two new associates and a promotion for another. Marissa Gonzales is a new loan officer for Crossroads Bank at the Yoakum branch. She joins the bank with many years of experience, including positions with IBC Bank, Yoakum National Bank and Texas Dow Employees Credit Union. Outside of banking, … Read more

Perry Succeeds Christian as Peoples Bank President

Terry Christian, Paris-based Peoples Bank’s president, retired at the end of 2020 and the bank’s board voted unanimously to promote T. Bradley Perry to fill the position, according to a report in The Paris News. Christian served as president of the bank for 31 years. “In 1989, (Chairman and CEO) Ronnie Abbott and the existing … Read more

Alliance Bank CEO Sellers Named Chairman of Alliance BancShares, Law to Serve as President/CFO and Shurtleff Tapped as Market President

Tom Sellers, CEO of Sulphur Springs-based Alliance Bank, has been named chairman of the board of Alliance BancShares Inc., the bank’s parent company. In addition, James Law, chief financial officer, will assume Sellers’ former role as president of Alliance Bank and remain CFO for the bank and its holdings, and Keith Shurtleff has been promoted … Read more

Texas Bank and Trust Promotes Freeman to Assistant Vice President at Overton Branch

Cascey Freeman has been promoted to assistant vice president and consumer lender at the Overton branch of Longview-based Texas Bank and Trust. She began her banking career as a bookkeeper with First State Bank of Overton prior to its merger into Texas Bank and Trust in 2013. She quickly transitioned to the role of administrative assistant … Read more

Western Bank Promotes Coke to Executive Vice President/Chief Lending Officer

Dan Odom, president and CEO of Lubbock-based Western Bank, recently announced the promotion of Christopher W. Coke to executive vice president/chief lending officer. With more than 25 years of banking experience, Coke has been with Western Bank since 2016. Prior to this promotion, he served as senior vice president/loan officer. Established in 1909, Western Bank … Read more

Anahuac National Bank Promotes Naivar to Assistant Cashier

Ken Moore, president and CEO of Anahuac National Bank, recently announced the promotion of James Naivar to assistant cashier. As an employee of Barbers Hill Bank for the past seven years, Naivar has served in many roles and in 2017 was promoted to administrative assistant and new accounts department supervisor. Barbers Hill Bank is part of the Anahuac National Bank … Read more