Author: SouthStar Bank

Deanna Ellison, Loan Operations Processor | SouthStar Bank Calvert Deanna Ellison is a Loan Operations Processor at our Calvert location. In 2017, she graduated from Sam Houston State University with her Bachelors in Business Administration. One of Deanna’s favorite things about her role is getting to interact with her co-workers. A career highlight for Deanna was the amount of non-real estate loans that she booked in 2021. Deanna and her family enjoy sports, fishing, and taking advantage of the outdoors whenever possible. One of their favorite activities is taking care of the family animals. Currently, they own, one dog, Brahman cattle, two horses, chickens, and ducks. One of her kids’ favorite hobbies is collecting all of the different colored eggs, as of recent, they had collected blue, green, white, and brown eggs. Deanna also loves to spend time in her garden. Her favorite things to grow are cucumbers for canning and sunflowers which is her favorite flower.

David Kapavik, Chief Executive Officer/President | SouthStar Bank Moulton The leader of the SouthStar Bank team, David Kapavik, offices out of the Moulton Branch as President and Chief Executive Officer. David is an alumnus of Southwest Texas State University, where he received his MBA. He has worked in the banking industry for the last 34 years, spending the first seven years working as a bank examiner. In 1995, David joined the bank under its former name of First State Bank of Moulton/ Lone Star Bank as President. Following the 2015 merger of Lone Star, Texas Star, and First Star banks, David was selected to continue his role of President and CEO for the newly unified SouthStar Bank. In his position, he enjoys interacting with team members and helping develop new ideas and niche products into successes. It makes him proud to lead a team that has grown a small community bank that once held only $23 million in assets to where it is today at $1.2 billion in total assets. David is a member of multiple professional organizations, including Independent Bankers Association, Texas Bankers Association, Federal Home Loan Bank, and BCL of Texas. In his community, he has served on the stock show board and was a member of the school advisory committee for Shiner Catholic School. An active member of Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church, David currently sits on the Finance Council and serves as a Eucharistic Minister. One of David’s many loves in life is nature. He enjoys hunting, fishing, raising cattle, developing ranches, and improving the land for all to enjoy. He credits his agricultural experience as one of the main drivers in his career. To this day, he operates a ranch that raises Wagyu and Brangus cattle. A second passion of David’s is traveling and seeing global landscapes. His favorite destination that he has traveled to is the beautiful country of Greece. The number one item on David’s bucket list is to continue his travels with his wife and their three children. David Kapavik NMLS#627916

Clayton Swift, Junior Credit Analyst | SouthStar Bank Loan Administration Building Clayton Swift is a Junior Credit Analyst located out of the SouthStar Bank Loan Administration Building in Leander. Clayton joined the team during the height of the Paycheck Protection Program in May 2020 as a Lending Intern. After the completion of his internship, he was promoted to a full-time Personal Banker role in the Leander branch. He was eventually promoted to his current position, where he works on spreading financial statements and doing basic underwriting of loan packages. Clayton’s favorite thing about working in the banking industry is getting to work with and assist small businesses. “I am most proud of my time spent helping our various PPP customers through the process,” he says. “It helped grow my passion for helping the local businesses that make up our communities.” Outside of the bank, Clayton volunteers with the Austin Wildlife Rescue. The non-profit is committed to helping save orphaned and injured wildlife. They also work to educate the public on how to coexist with Central Texas wildlife. Clayton enjoys spending his free time with his fiancée. Claytons’ hobbies include hiking, fishing, birding, and kayaking. A fan of travel, Clayton’s favorite place he has visited is Rocky Mountain National Park where he proposed.

Claudia Gonzales, Personal Banker | SouthStar Bank Kerrville Claudia Gonzales has been in the banking industry for the last four years. She currently serves as a Personal Banker, based in the SouthStar Bank Kerrville location. One of Claudia’s biggest professional accomplishments was when she won the 2021 Best Teller award in the Best of Kerrville awards. “I always try to leave my customers happy and super satisfied. Knowing that they have had that positive experience enough times to vote for me makes me proud,” she says. Helping her customers is one of Claudia’s favorite things about her job. Getting to listen to their unique stories and assist with their banking needs always makes Claudia’s day. In her time away from work, Claudia enjoys spending time with her family and fur babies. One of her favorite hobbies is catching up on the latest movies and television series. She particularly enjoys watching features that involve paranormal activity. If Claudia could meet one person dead or alive she would choose her favorite actor, Gary Oldman.