Southstar Bank Insider - SouthStar Bank, S.S.B.

Congratulations Jesica Garza! New Branch Executive

Congratulations to Jesica Garza on her promotion to Branch Executive!

Jesica Garza has been promoted to Branch Executive of the SouthStar Bank Georgetown Branch. Jesica has been with SouthStar Bank for three years as a portfolio lender, specializing in land and construction financing. She has multiple years of prior experience in mortgage lending and has also taught mortgage and real estate investing courses to continuing education students as a Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist.

A local to Georgetown, Jesica proudly graduated as a Georgetown Eagle in 2004 and continued on to Texas State University to pursue her degree in International Relations. As Branch Executive, Jesica is looking forward to broadening and sustaining the branch’s relationships with the community.

Active in the community, Garza previously served on the Austin Board of the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women. In addition, she stays involved with her husband’s non-profit, Flatwater Foundation, and its mission to provide access to therapy for families coping with a cancer diagnosis. Jesica and her husband, Mark, have two kids: one son and one daughter.

Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender | NMLS# 1508061

Employee Spotlight- Lindsey Morkovsky

Lindsey Morkovsky, Senior Vice President/Accounting Manager | SouthStar Bank Moulton

Lindsey Morkovsky is the Accounting Manager and a Senior Vice President at SouthStar Bank. An alum of Texas Lutheran University, Lindsey has been with SouthStar Bank for the last nine years and currently offices in the treasury department in the Moulton Headquarters. Her favorite thing about working in the banking industry is that there is always something new to learn and an opportunity to assist others.

Outside of work, Lindsey is very involved in her church, Saints Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church, where her husband serves as Deacon. An active runner, Lindsey has run in many competitive runs through the years, including the Boston Marathon in 2019, and is hoping to one day run the New York City Marathon. Her other hobbies include spending time with her family, serving at her church, hiking, camping, and traveling. Lindsey has three kids; two sons and one daughter but is also a grandma to a two-year-old girl, Amitty. Lindsey lives in the country between Moulton and Shiner with her husband Michael, and 12-year-old son Levi, with a dog “stormy,” one pig “big papa,” one horse “skeeter,” three chickens, and many cows.

Her favorite place she has traveled to recently is Italy, visiting Rome, Sienna, and Priano.

Employee Spotlight- Larry Weisinger

Larry Weisinger, Senior Vice President/Branch Executive | SouthStar Bank Bee Cave

Larry Weisinger is the Branch Executive and Senior Vice President of the SouthStar Bank Bee Cave location. He is an alumnus of The University of Texas at Arlington and has worked in the financial industry for almost 25 years. Through his long tenure in the industry, Larry’s favorite aspect of banking has remained the same, the people he serves. “I enjoy the structure of the deal and helping people make sound decisions regarding their personal lending needs or making that crucial business decision regarding the structure and long-term hold of commercial lending,” he says. During his career, Larry was also responsible for creating a private mortgage lending brokerage firm that was eventually sold to a publicly held company. He has also advised other financial institutions on how to streamline and maximize their residential and commercial lending capabilities.

A long-time resident of Lake Travis, Larry and his wife, Tracie, raised their two children in the LT school district, which they still actively support as members of the Lake Travis Education Foundation. A Texan inside and out, Larry enjoys spending time in the great outdoors hunting and fishing. He enjoys traveling to adventure destinations that have challenging angling opportunities. A fun fact about Larry is that the first concert he ever attended was the King of Country, George Strait.

NMLS# 299096

Employee Spotlight- Kyla Gesell

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, Grit. Together the family loves being outdoors and making the most of their time together.

Welcome Matthew Curren

Matthew Curren, Personal Banker | SouthStar Bank Georgetown

Matthew Curren has joined the SouthStar Bank Georgetown operations team as a Personal Banker. He is an alumni of The University of Texas at Dallas where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. While he is new to banking, Matthew is looking forward to bringing his positive attitude and personality to the Georgetown community. A remarkable fact about Matthew is that he can solve a Rubik’s cube in 20 seconds.

Welcome, Matthew!

Congratulations Riley Martine! New Assistant Vice President

Riley Martine has been promoted to the role of Assistant Vice President at the SouthStar Bank Southwest Austin branch. She will continue in her role as Portfolio Manager and will also be taking on the official role of Executive Assistant to the Chief Lending Officer. Her initiative, positive attitude, and ability to multitask have given Riley a great reputation amongst her coworkers and clients. Riley is looking forward to continuing to assist in the management and growth of the bank’s portfolio. “I love learning and SouthStar never ceases to give me the opportunity to do so,” she says.

In her free time, Riley enjoys running, reading, and going to concerts. Her biggest personal achievement was when she completed the Austin Half Marathon in April 2021.

Congratulations Riley!