Author: SouthStar Bank

Kyla Gesell, Assistant Vice President/Branch Manager | SouthStar Bank Kerrville Kyla Gesell is the leader of the SouthStar Bank Kerrville operations team. She joined the banking industry in February of 2019 with no prior banking experience and unsure about her new job. Three years later, Kyla has a strong passion for what she does and enjoys the fact that every day brings something new. After the acquisition of the Kerrville location was completed in 2021, Kyla was named to her current position of Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager. In her community, Kyla recently became a member of the Hill Country Charity Ball Association. The group works together to host an annual gala that raises proceeds for non-profit organizations that seek to improve the lives of others. When she is not at work, Kyla enjoys spending quality time with her husband and their son. Together the family loves being outdoors and making the most of their time together.

Kristen Hendry, TMLP Clerk | SouthStar Bank Calvert Kristen Hendry has been a member of the SouthStar Bank team for about a year as a TMLP clerk in Calvert. In her role, Kristen is responsible for communicating with the other mortgage companies. She enjoys getting to know the people on the other end of the line and learning about the differences in economies. Her friendliness and professionalism have allowed Kristen to build lasting professional relationships that she is proud of. Although Kristen is new to the industry, she is proud of the professional growth and confidence that she has gained over the year. She constantly strives to learn something new and continue to grow in the TMLP department. Outside of work, Kristen spends her time with her husband and their daughter. They enjoy fishing, playing outside, reading, painting, cooking, and taking care of the family chickens. A personal goal of Kristen’s is to one day plant and successfully grow her own garden to enjoy.

Kimberly Watson, Senior Vice President/Branch Executive | SouthStar Bank Southwest Austin Kimberly Watson currently serves as Senior Vice President of Lending and Branch Executive at the SouthStar Bank Southwest Austin Branch, specializing in portfolio mortgage loans, lot loans, and construction lending. She’s worked for the bank for 9 years in various roles.  Her ability to build long-term relationships with her customers has led her to over 20 years of success in the banking industry. Helping clients put together a financial plan to build, buy or refinance their home is Kim’s favorite part of her lending job. She loves being the guide in her customer’s journey to the home of their dreams. Kim enjoys being involved in the Dripping Springs community as an active member of the Chamber of Commerce. In May of 2022, Kim completed the Leadership Dripping Springs program which gives participants a deeper knowledge and understanding of community challenges and opportunities. Outside of work, Kim enjoys spending her free time at home with her husband, daughter, and extended family. They also enjoy fishing, boating, and hot rodding with friends. One item on Kim’s bucket list is to enjoy a chartered trip on a yacht like her favorite tv show, Below Deck. Kimberly Watson, NMLS# 794827

Kerri Gonzalez, Assistant Vice President/Branch Manager | SouthStar Bank Leander Kerri Gonzalez is the leader of the SouthStar Bank Leander Operations team. She joined the bank as the Branch Manager in the Summer of 2022, bringing over 19 years of industry experience to the team. In her role, Kerri enjoys working with people, both customers and coworkers, to improve their quality of life. “Helping someone achieve their financial goals and seeing how that makes a difference in their situation is priceless,” she says. Kerri is also proud to be a leader and spokesperson for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is always striving to learn more about how to bring people together in understanding and knowledge, and in 2017 she achieved Platinum level in the Masters of Diversity Awareness program through Comerica Bank. When Kerri isn’t working, she is spending time with her three kids at the pool, watching movies, and reading as many books as she can. Along with her other hobbies, Kerri also enjoys traveling anywhere with a beach. Her favorite travel destination is Destin, Florida, for its beauty and all of the happy memories that have been made by her family. She hopes to one day take her travels away from the coast and across the pond to Scotland, England, Austria, and Italy. Something that most people don’t know about Kerri is that she participated in and completed the California CrossFit Games in 2009 and 2010.

Keely McCarthy, Marketing Coordinator | SouthStar Bank Round Rock Keely McCarthy is the Marketing Coordinator at SouthStar Bank. She started with the bank as a Marketing Intern in January 2020 and was promoted to her current position after her graduation from Sam Houston State University. Keely’s favorite aspect of her position is getting to work and interact with a variety of team members across the bank. She enjoys getting to continuously learn something new by assisting all of the bank departments. Her biggest career highlight was receiving the 2021 Rising Star Award, which is awarded to those who have been with the bank for less than two years and have exhibited exceptional growth and leadership. Away from the bank, Keely enjoys reading, watching movies, and completing jigsaw puzzles. One of Keely’s passions is traveling, some of her favorite past travel destinations include the U.S. Virgin Islands, Boston, and La Jolla, California. While she has not taken her travels internationally yet, she hopes to one day add stamps from Canada, Ireland, and Europe to her passport. A fun fact about Keely is that her favorite way of touring a new city is via Segway, and she hopes to someday travel the United States via train. 

Kathryn Davis, Personal Banker| SouthStar Bank Leander Kathryn Davis is a Personal Banker at the SouthStar Bank Leander Branch. She joined the team in 2020 with three years of industry experience. Throughout her time with the bank, Kathryn is most proud of the amount of professional growth she has made. She enjoys learning something new every day in her role and hopes to continue to grow in her knowledge of the banking industry. Away from the bank, Kathryn enjoys honing her skills in nature photography, participating in community outreach programs, and playing with her dog, Mercy.