Employee Spotlight

Sche Kehner, Personal Banker | SouthStar Bank Kerrville Sche Kehner is a Personal Banker for the SouthStar Bank Kerrville branch. She has been in banking since high school and has spent the last 13 years broadening her knowledge of the banking industry and honing her interpersonal skills. Sche was a member of the Community First team before SouthStar acquired the branch in 2021. Sche greatly enjoys her conversations with customers and the relationships she can form by genuinely listening to their needs and informing them of the best products and services SouthStar can offer them. Outside of work, Sche loves to fish and hopes to one day have fished in every state across the US. She also loves to visit the coast and explore exciting new recipes. When she isn’t doing one of her many hobbies, Sche enjoys spending time with her husband and two dogs, Byrd and Bailey Mae, cuddled on the couch watching action movies.

Roni Nickelson, Vice President/Loan Operations Manager | SouthStar Bank Calvert Roni Nickelson is a Vice President and the Loan Operations Manager at the SouthStar Bank. Roni has been with us for almost two decades, with 19 years of experience under her belt. Along with her volume of experience, she has also been awarded the prestigious President’s Award on two separate occasions! The President’s Award is given out each year to the individual who the president and executive team feel has made the strongest contribution to the organization. Roni works tirelessly to ensure that she and her team can process loans effectively and efficiently. She enjoys the fast-paced, ever-changing environment that banking offers. When Roni is out of the office, she is often found reading books or spending time near the water. She enjoys spending time at the lake, floating down the river, and of course, hanging out at the beach.

Patricia Novosad, Personal Banker | SouthStar Bank Shiner Patricia Novosad is a Personal Banker in Shiner that has been with SouthStar Bank for over two decades. She takes great pride in providing exceptional service and building relationships with her customers. Patsy, as she is known to everyone, runs the drive-thru and works diligently to ensure every customer leaves with their needs met and a smile on their face. Outside of work, Patsy is a member of the Sts. Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church in Shiner, as well as the Catholic Daughters of America. She enjoys antique shopping and taking road trips with her husband. She loves to spend quality time with her entire family on amazing vacations and support her grandchildren at school and community functions. Her favorite trip was to Winter Park, Colorado, where she got to take in a breathtaking view of the Continental Divide and create longstanding memories with her family. She hopes to one day travel to Europe to visit Rome and the Czech Republic.

Pam Browning, Vice President/Branch Manager | SouthStar Bank Brazoria Pam Browning is a Vice President and the Branch Manager at the SouthStar Bank Brazoria branch. Pam holds a wealth of banking experience, she will have been with the bank for 25 years in July. With over four decades of banking experience, Pam uses her expertise to best serve her customers and provide valuable insight to her peers and coworkers. This is further reinforced by the value she places on the connections and friendships she has been available to develop throughout her time in banking. Pam is very involved in the Brazoria community, holding the position of Board Treasurer for the Brazoria Heritage Foundation and serving as Board President for the Brazoria Chamber of Commerce six separate times. Her dedication and hard work in the community have not gone unrecognized, as she has been named Outstanding Board Member of the Year four times and was also named Brazoria’s Woman of the Year in 2019. Outside of her incredible contributions to SouthStar Bank and the Brazoria community, Pam enjoys spending time with her five grandchildren and reveling in the beauty of stained glass. Her husband is responsible for all the stained glass in the Moulton location. Pam herself constructed the transoms and sidelights for the Brazoria, Shiner, Gonzales, and Southwest Austin branches. Never short of talents or knowledge Pam still has a need for a thrill, with skydiving being an activity she hopes to knock off her bucket list in the near future.

Melissa Thompson, IT System Administrator II | SouthStar Bank Gonzales Annex Melissa Thompson is an IT System Administrator II at the Gonzales Annex. She has been with SouthStar for 10 years and holds almost three decades of experience in the finance industry. Working in IT, much of what Melissa does is behind the scenes; however, her work has a significant impact bank-wide. Melissa takes pride in making everyone’s lives easier, working to simplify and automate processes to allow every employee to operate at maximum efficiency and help make our star shine. Outside of work, Melissa is very involved in her local church, where she leads a Youth Group as well as a Ladies’ Bible Study. She enjoys organizing activities for the Youth Group, including an annual all-night lock-in, bowling trips, and the occasional Christian concert. While Melissa spends her days at SouthStar plugged in, she covets the time she can spend unplugged. Her favorite vacation was a seven-day cruise where she was free from phone calls, the internet, and any semblance of a schedule. She also enjoys golfing with her husband, vacationing with her family, and spending time with her new grandson.

Meghan Rabel, Personal Banker | SouthStar Bank Kerrville Meghan Rabel is a Personal Banker at the SouthStar Bank Kerrville branch. She has been with SouthStar since the acquisition of the Kerrville branch and holds over a decade of experience in the finance industry. Meghan greatly enjoys building relationships with her customers. She strives to form trust and familiarity to provide the best banking experience possible. Off the clock, she is a busy mother of two boys and many cats and dogs. However, when she can get a moment to herself, she enjoys doing puzzles or catching a movie (preferably a chick flick). Meghan also loves the outdoors and has a great appreciation for nature. Her favorite destination is the mountains in Wyoming, and she dreams of seeing the Northern Lights one day.

Matthew Danielson, Assistant Vice President/Portfolio Manager | SouthStar Bank Loan Administration Building Matthew Danielson works as a Portfolio Manager at the SouthStar Bank Loan Administration Building. He has worked in banking for more than four years and is approaching his second anniversary at SouthStar Bank. Matt graduated from Upper Iowa University and moved to Texas with his fiancé, whom he is looking forward to marrying in May of this year. During his tenure with SouthStar Bank, Matt has excelled due to his mentality. Matt is always excited for new challenges and looks forward to helping clients achieve their end goals. The diversity of opportunities and clients allows Matt to engage and learn with each project, contributing to his development and growth within the Loan Department. Outside of work, Matt enjoys the outdoors. Whether it be fishing, hunting, golfing, or boondocking on the beach, Matt enjoys indulging in the spoils of nature in a multitude of ways.

Mary Hall, Personal Banker | SouthStar Bank Calvert Mary Hall is a Personal Banker at the SouthStar Bank Calvert branch. She has worked in the banking industry for over 10 years, with seven years spent at various SouthStar Bank locations in Robertson County. Mary most enjoys working in the Calvert branch because it allows her to interact with the great people of Calvert and customers from Bremond, Hearne, and Franklin. Away from the bank, Mary is a proud wife and mom of two kids. She enjoys spending her free time reading, traveling, thrifting at local garage sales, attending football games, and volunteering with her church.

Mariela Tinajero, Assistant Electronic Funds Manager | SouthStar Bank Gonzales Annex Mariela Tinajero has been a part of the SouthStar Bank family for the last nine years. She works out of the Gonzales Annex as an Assistant Electronic Funds Manager. In her role, Mariela is responsible for managing all electronic transactions, including wires and ACH payments. Her always-ready-to-help attitude has earned her great respect around the bank. One of Mariela’s most significant career achievements was being awarded the Ride for the Brand award, which recognizes the individuals who have gone above and beyond to uphold the SouthStar Bank brand and standards. In her free time away from the bank, Mariela loves going on motorcycle rides with her husband, working out, and traveling with family. Something that might be surprising about Mariela is that one of her bucket list items is to travel to New York City.