Bank News

Greg Vesely and Miguel De La Riva have been promoted to Area Managers in the Urban South and Rural North regions. Miguel and Greg have found incredible success in their previous roles as Loan Officers and, eventually, Branch Executives. Both men have shown exceptional dedication throughout their time with SouthStar, leaning on their knowledge and experience to offer premier service to their customers. In their new roles, Miguel and Greg will work closely with their teams of loan officers to develop and achieve goals that will help deliver the optimal lending experience to all customers. Greg Vesely (Urban South) started his banking career in 1993 and became a lender in 1995.  He has been with SouthStar Bank since 2016 and has been the Branch Executive of the Steiner Ranch branch since 2017. Greg holds multiple licenses, including Series 6, 63, and Group 1. As a loan officer, Greg enjoys being his clients’ trusted advisor. By understanding their needs, he is able to help them achieve growth and success. One of Greg’s career highlights was being named a Top Mortgage Producer in the Austin Metro Area by Austin Business Journal and being awarded the Trail Boss award, one of SouthStar Bank’s highest internal honors for leadership. Big in his community, Greg is a former Marine and enjoys giving back through multiple organizations, including March of Dimes, Coats for Kids, Toys for Tots, and United Way. In his free time, Greg enjoys traveling across the U.S. with his family. Miguel De La Riva (Rural North) has been in lending for more than two decades and has been with SouthStar Bank for two years. In his long career in the financial industry, Miguel has funded everything from small business loans, home loans for first-time buyers, and multi-million-dollar commercial real estate transactions. He specializes in using his strong analytical and problem-solving skills to find solutions for complex loans.  In his short time with the bank, Miguel has excelled as the Branch Executive of the Harker Heights branch, led the charge with the development of the ITIN loan program, and has been assisting as an extra loan officer in the Robertson County branches.  Miguel is a United States Marine Corps veteran and bilingual in Spanish. Outside of work, Miguel enjoys spending his time in the great outdoors, enjoying various bodies of water with his wife and loyal dogs.

Trip Ray has been promoted to the position of Chief Credit Officer. He has been with SouthStar Bank since 2016 and has served as the bank’s Chief Risk Officer since 2020. In his time with the bank, Trip has made tremendous contributions, including creating an Enterprise Risk Committee and actively working to build risk assessments across all departments of the bank, ensuring top quality and safety for our customers. Trip naturally gravitated toward the lending side of the institution in his role as Chief Risk Officer, making him an ideal fit for the Chief Credit Officer position. In his new role, Trip will be responsible for providing support, direction and developing credit information and loan policies to ensure the overall quality of the bank’s lending portfolio. He will oversee the Underwriting and Credit Administration Department and continue to work with the Audit Committee as well as internal and external loan review teams. When Trip is out of the office, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing golf, and spending time outdoors. Congratulations Trip!

Stephanie Weaver has been promoted to Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager at the SouthStar Bank Georgetown branch. Prior to her promotion, Stephanie was a Personal Banker at the Georgetown location. During this time, she was responsible for opening new accounts, running transactions, and verifying customer information. In her new position, Stephanie will be responsible for growing new and existing relationships between the bank and its customers. She is most excited about speaking with her customers to learn how her team can better serve them. Another aspect that Stephanie is excited about is taking over the training of new employees in preparation for their next steps within the banking and finance industry. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her family and fur babies, bowling, and traveling to San Antonio to visit her younger sibling.

Faith Shrader has been promoted to Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager at the SouthStar Bank Southwest Austin branch. Faith was in her previous personal banker role for 2 years. During this time, she was responsible for opening new accounts, running transactions, and verifying correct information on deposit slips and checks. In her new position, Faith will be responsible for developing new and existing relationships between the bank and its customers. Faith is very focused on customer service and values her ability to know everyone who enters the branch by name. She is most excited about developing and adapting her leadership skills for the banking industry. As well as having the ability to share the knowledge she has gained over the years with new employees. In her free time, Faith enjoys reading, going to the beach, and spending time with family and friends.

Amanda Aaron has been promoted to the role of SBA Credit Officer at SouthStar Bank. She has 19 years of experience in the banking and finance industry as well as over 10 years of experience handling all facets of SBA Lending. Amanda specializes in small business lending and commercial real estate lending but has worked in a variety of other banking roles. She has experience in loan production, financing owner-occupied and investment real estate, servicing, and underwriting commercial credits. In her new position, Amanda will be responsible for originating and underwriting SBA loans, partnering with Loan Officers to assist with their SBA loans, and providing ongoing educational opportunities for both the staff and our community. She is most excited about growing and expanding the knowledge of what SBA lending can do for customers to all branches and markets SouthStar Bank serves, as well as being able to ensure the SBA program is strong and continues to be effective. Amanda is not only impressive in her work life, but she is also involved with several professional organizations, including a local SBA organization where she serves as the Vice President, CTAGGL, and is a member of CREW Austin. In her free time, Amanda enjoys watching all types of sporting events, coaching her daughter’s softball team, and spending time with family and friends.

Congratulations to Andrew Denny, who was recently awarded the EMBA scholarship at the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame Gala. Starting in the Fall, Andrew will be enrolled in the Executive MBA Program in Banking and Financial Institutions at Sam Houston State University. The program is a unique two-year program designed to develop and enhance a candidate’s skills necessary for a position of leadership in a financial institution or regulatory agency. The program emphasizes the integration and synthesis of various disciplines to develop a student’s ability to function and make sound administrative decisions in a dynamic financial institution environment. Apart from being a valued SouthStar Bank team member, Andrew is also a husband, father, and avid paddleboarder. Every year he volunteers to raise funds and awareness for the Flatwater Foundation, paddling 21 miles in the annual TYLER’S Dam That Cancer event. Congratulations and Good Luck, Andrew!

Kacy Kirk and Kristy Hollis have been promoted to the role of Vice President/Retail Area Manager for the Rural and Urban regions, respectively. Both Kacy and Kristy have thrived in their Branch Manager positions, using their knowledge and experience to support their teams and provide an outstanding banking experience for their customers. Their hard work was recognized in 2022 when both ladies were awarded the Ride for the Brand Award for Operations, which is one of the bank’s highest internal honors. In their new roles, both ladies will assist with the advancement of new employees, develop strategic plans with the retail team, and continue to grow customer relationships. Kristy is coming up on her fourth year with SouthStar Bank and has over two decades of banking experience overall. As the Retail Area Manager of the urban market, she is excited to share SouthStar Bank’s overarching vision and motivate her team to be the best they can possibly be. Kristy is a natural leader who thrives on sharing knowledge and seeing team members excel in their respective roles. When Kristy is away from work, she can be found spending time with her daughter. She points to being a mother as her biggest personal achievement and cherishes every moment she can spend with her family. Kristy also enjoys traveling, with cruises being her preferred method. She has a great appreciation for anywhere with beautiful blue water. Kacy has been in the banking industry for over a decade boasting 11 years of experience, including eight years at SouthStar Bank. In her new role as Retail Area Manager of the rural market, she is excited to be able to work on new projects aimed at elevating the customer and team member experience across all the branches in her area. Kacy is also involved in the Hearne community and finds great enjoyment in contributing her skills beyond the bank. Most recently, she has served three years on the Hearne Community Development Board as secretary and treasurer. When Kacy is out of the office, she enjoys spending time with her family. They enjoy traveling, camping, visiting family, and reading books. SouthStar Bank is excited to watch Kacy and Kristy continue to grow in their new positions and make our star shine! Congratulations, Kacy and Kristy!

Congratulations, Gillian Bowman! SouthStar Bank would like to recognize Gillian Bowman for completing the process to become a Certified Fraud Examiner! The process included four separate exams, which covered the topics of Financial Transactions and Fraud Schemes, Law, Investigation, and Fraud Prevention and Deterrence. Gillian joined the Audit department for SouthStar Bank in April 2022. During her short time with the bank, she has already made a huge impact and was awarded the 2022 Rising Star award for Support Operations. As a valued member of the team, SouthStar Bank is looking forward to Gillians’ continued success with the company.