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Susan Forrest, Personal Banker | SouthStar Bank Bee Cave Branch Susan Forrest is joining the SouthStar Bank Bee Cave team as a Personal Banker. This is her first time working in the banking industry, but she is excited to bring her excellent customer service skills to Bee Cave. A graduate of California Polytechnic State University, Susan hopes to make all of her customers feel welcome and appreciated. In her free time, Susan enjoys hiking challenging trails Welcome Susan!
Aften Serrano, Assistant Vice President & Branch Manager | SouthStar Bank Leander Branch Aften Serrano joins the SouthStar Bank team as Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager at the Leander Branch. Aften brings 16 years of experience in the banking and finance industry to SouthStar Bank. Aften is most excited to bring her Texas community banking experience to the people of Leander. She is also looking forward to meeting and making lifelong customers. One of Aften’s biggest personal achievements is that she was able to start wildlife refuge efforts on her property. When she’s not working, Aften enjoys crafting, tubing, and running her home décor blog. She also enjoys traveling, and one of her favorite destinations is Costa Rica. An experienced traveler, Aften can pack for a week long trip in under 15 minutes. Welcome Aften!
Taryn Vandenberg, Personal Banker | SouthStar Bank Southwest Austin Branch The SouthStar Bank team is growing with the addition of Taryn Vandenberg. Taryn is located at the Southwest Austin Branch as a Personal Banker. She is a graduate of Texas Tech University and is excited to bring her customer service experience to SouthStar Bank. In her free time, she likes to work out and take her dog, Shadow, to Town Lake. Taryn also loves to travel; her favorite destination is the Grand Cayman Islands. Welcome Taryn!
Brianna Cortes, Personal Banker | SouthStar Bank Harker Heights Branch The SouthStar Bank team is growing with the addition of personal banker, Brianna Cortes. She is excited to be joining the Harker Heights branch, and can’t wait to help the bank grow and succeed. In her spare time, Brianna enjoys spending time with her son and doing water activities. One of her biggest accomplishments in life is that she has been skydiving. Welcome Brianna!
Congratulations to Trey Bertelson on his promotion to Vice President and Retail Banking Operations Officer! Trey Bertelson was promoted to Vice President and Retail Banking Operations Officer. Trey has been a part of the SouthStar Bank team for the last two years. Prior to joining SouthStar Bank, he spent 10 years working in financial services. During this time, Trey established his commitment to personalized service and a team-first mentality. Trey is excited to take on this new position at SouthStar Bank. He is most looking forward to “building on the team-first principles cultivated during his time at the Leander Branch.” As Retail Operations Officer, Trey will oversee bank-wide operations and growth initiatives, execute efficient workflow, and support the Chief Operations Officer. Outside of work, Trey maintains an active role in the community. Currently he serves as the Treasurer for the Cedar Park Public Library Foundation. Trey also enjoys hiking and watching sports.
Danielle Sackllah, Personal Banker | SouthStar Bank Steiner Ranch Branch Danielle Sackllah is joining the SouthStar Bank Steiner Ranch team as a Personal Banker. This is her first time working in the banking industry and she is excited to bring her high energy to the workplace. Danielle believes her client focused attitude will help her be successful at SouthStar Bank. Welcome to the team Danielle!
Samalia Huggins, Loan Closing Coordinator | SouthStar Bank Harker Heights Branch Samalia Huggins joins the SouthStar Bank team as a Loan Closing Coordinator. She will be based in the Harker Heights Branch. Samalia brings three and a half years of experience to SouthStar Bank. She is most excited to bring her award-winning personality and drive to succeed to the SouthStar Bank team. Samalia is also looking forward to learning everything that the Bank has to offer. Samalia is a mom of three daughters and grandma to one grandson. She is originally from Wilmington, NC and has been living in Texas for the last three and a half years. During her free time, Samalia likes to cook, explore Texas, and ride the electric scooters in Downtown Austin. NMLS#1553685
Congratulations to Deanna Whitson, recognized as the 2019 Salado Citizen of the Year! Deanna served as the Chair for the Salado Christmas Stroll Parade and under her guidance had the largest Christmas Stroll to date. The parade had over 60 entries and overcame literal construction obstacles. Whitson also played a significant leadership role in the Salado Rotary Club’s Second Annual ‘Que on Main fundraiser which brought hundreds of visitors to Salado on Memorial Day Weekend. When describing Deanna, Awards Chairman Claire Hartman said, “This person doesn’t have to be in charge, but will be if called upon. Her desire to give and help is genuine and authentic.” Hartman also went on to say “Deanna has been in our community helping, with a big H! From Chamber event to community events.” Deanna was taken by surprise when she received the award. “I absolutely love our community, everyone in it, and our Chamber team,” Whitson said. Deanna is involved in the Salado Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club. She is a proud Aggie wife and mom and loves to attend the Aggie Football games. In her free time, Deanna likes to craft, read, and make her own jewelry. She looks forward too many more adventures with the Salado Chamber and community. Read more about the Salado Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet from the Salado Village Voice. NMLS # 1103882
The SouthStar Bank family grew recently with the addition of eight new members to the team. Spread through multiple branches in a variety of roles each person is excited to be a part of the SouthStar Bank family. Texas State alumni, Virginia Roberts, joins the Southwest Austin Branch as a Personal Banker. Virginia is looking forward to strengthening SouthStar Bank’s customer service with her energy and enthusiasm. Kristin Ross is adding to the Sendero Springs Branch as Commercial Loan Closing Coordinator. While this is Kristin’s first time working in the banking industry, she brings seven years of real estate experience with her. She hopes to expand her skills with the knowledge she will gain working in the banking world. Another Texas State alumna joined the team as a personal banker, Jill Nava. Jill will be working at the Sendero Springs branch in Round Rock. She recently started with SouthStar Bank and is most looking forward to learning from the people around her. Joining the Leander Branch is another Personal Banker, Amanda Estrada. Amanda has two years of experience working in the banking industry and is excited to apply the skills she has obtained to a community-oriented bank. Michelle Gagin will also be working with the Leander Branch as a Senior Mortgage Processor. Michelle has two degrees in Business Management and Finance from Aurora University in Illinois. She hopes to use her twenty years of experience and knowledge to help the branch and company goals. Tyler Morgan is also beginning his career in the banking industry as a Personal Banker at the Bee Cave Branch. He plans to use his positivity, determination, and focus to elevate SouthStar Bank to the next level. Keely McCarthy joined the Southwest Austin Branch as a Marketing Intern. Keely is a Senior at Sam Houston State University studying Public Relations and Advertising. She is most excited about learning about both the marketing and banking industries. Rounding out the list of new team members is Rebecca Lloyd. Rebecca will be taking on the Vice President/Senior Commercial Underwriter role at the Steiner Ranch Branch. She received her degree from Brigham Young University, and her MBA from the University of Iowa. Rebecca is excited to meet new people and bring new customers to the bank. NMLS# 1932888 Welcome Virginia, Kristin, Jill, Amanda, Michelle, Stayton, Keely, and Rebecca!
Congratulations to Amanda Aaron on her promotion to Branch Executive! Amanda Aaron was promoted to Branch Executive at our Leander Branch. She joined SouthStar Bank last year after spending over 15 years working in commercial lending. Amanda specializes in small business lending and commercial real estate lending but has worked in a variety of other bank services. She has experience in loan production, financing owner-occupied and investment real estate, servicing and underwriting commercial credits. Amanda prides herself on helping her clients throughout the lending process. “The ability to make a customer feel comfortable about what’s to come is invaluable,” she says. She provides that comfort with her expertise and personable skills which allows her to guide her customers through every step of the loan process. While Amanda will be taking on a new role, she plans to remain active in her community. Currently, Amanda holds leadership roles with CREW Austin and her local Little League. In her free time, Amanda and her family enjoy camping, hiking, and taking on any type of outdoor adventure. NMLS # 1819235
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