Employee News Archives - Page 8 of 10 - SouthStar Bank, S.S.B.

by SouthStar BankJanuary 23, 2023

Employee Spotlight- Matthew Danielson

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.

Employee News, Employee Spotlight

by SouthStar BankDecember 23, 2022

Employee Awards & Anniversaries 2022

RIDE FOR THE BRAND The Ride for the Brand award recognizes those individuals who have gone above and beyond to uphold the SouthStar Bank. In the cowboy days, when you worked for a big ranch or participated in a trail drive, the cowboy was loyal to the Brand he “rode for.” Guys that rode for the brand had deep connections representing the ranch that transcended their daily work. To strengthen our culture, we continue to need employees that are a good example of this type of steadfast loyalty and who support our mission, vision, and values. STAR LEADER The Star Leader award is a special award given to applaud and promote the work and contributions of our most senior team. These individuals articulate a compelling vision for the institution and have inspired others to that vision. They actively support all aspects of our Bank’s advancement and show the highest commitment to professional growth. Recipients deserve exceptional notice and praise. TRAIL BOSS We also wanted to recognize a few individuals who have stepped up in their leadership roles. On a cattle drive, Trail Boss is the one in charge of the entire operation – keeping track of all the different elements of the drive, selecting routes, and making key decisions. Our Trail Boss awards go to those who have helped guide our teams, selected routes for new and expanded operations, and supported key initiatives to exceed expectations. We can all agree that this year brought many new challenges, and I appreciate those who helped set the path for success. PRESIDENT’S AWARD This prestigious recognition is awarded by the bank president, David Kapavik, to the individual he and the executive team feel has made the strongest contribution to the organization over the past year in each region. They review many aspects including performance, leadership, service, and related organizational benefits. RISING STAR AWARD These individuals have been with the bank for less than two years, but have already made our star shine brighter. These emerging leaders were selected by the executive committee in each department because of their exceptional growth and contributions to the organization, as well as increased levels of leadership, responsibility, and sphere of impact. INVESTAR SUPERSTAR This award recognizes one individual who has embraced our partnership with Hilltop Securities. We look forward to the continued growth of this relationship and the benefits it provides for our clients. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT SouthStar Bank takes great pride in supporting our communities. The Community Involvement Awards recognize one recipient in each of our four regions for exemplifying the community bank spirit through active involvement in worthy causes and initiatives throughout the area. STAR SERVICE AWARD The Star Service Awards recognize one recipient in each of our four regions for service above and beyond the expected norm. Recipients consistently demonstrate exceptional knowledge of our products and services, as well as an intuitive understanding of our clients’ needs. Recipients consistently exemplify the SouthStar mantra of providing friendly, flexible common-sense financial services ANNIVERSARIES 25 YEARS: Linda Martinez […]

Employee Spotlight

by SouthStar BankNovember 21, 2022

Employee Spotlight- Mary Hall

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.

Employee Spotlight

by SouthStar BankOctober 24, 2022

Employee Spotlight- Mariela Tinajero

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.

Bank News, Employee News

by SouthStar BankOctober 14, 2022

Congratulations Blake Feste! New Senior Credit Officer

Congratulations to Blake Feste, recently promoted to Senior Credit Officer! Blake has been a part of the SouthStar Bank team since 2017 and was previously an employee of former Lone Star Bank from 2013 to 2015. Blake has excelled in his role at the bank to uphold the overall quality of the Bank’s credit extension. He will continue to provide support and direction in loan policies and procedures, working with Credit Analysts and Regional Credit Managers to promote loan growth while balancing risk controls for the bank. Outside of work, Blake held a position as Co-Chair of Programs on the board for the Young Men’s Business League of Austin for 5 years. Blake and YMBL worked to raise money each year to send low-income youth to summer camp, assisting approximately 1,000 kids each year. As of 2022, he is an Alumni Member but continues to be heavily involved in the efforts of the non-profit organization. Blake and his wife, Ellen, live in Northwest Austin with their 3-year-old son, Liam. They enjoy traveling and cheering on his alma mater, the TCU Horned Frogs, during football season. Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender | NMLS# 683300

Employee Spotlight

by SouthStar BankOctober 4, 2022

Employee Spotlight- Marci Clanin

Marci Clanin, Portfolio Manager | SouthStar Bank Georgetown A member of the SouthStar Bank Georgetown team, Marci Clanin is a Portfolio Manager for the lending department. An alumna of The University of Texas at Austin, Marci joined SouthStar Bank earlier this year. Since she is still new to the industry, Marci’s favorite aspects of her job are the constant learning and fast-paced environment. When Marci is not at work, she manages her other full-time job as a mom to her children. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and catching up on her favorite reality tv shows. Two surprising items on Marci’s bucket list are cage diving with sharks and owning a full-sized pig that she would name Chet. Marci Clanin NMLS# 2068290

Bank News, Employee News

by SouthStar BankSeptember 27, 2022

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

by SouthStar BankSeptember 26, 2022

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 and also recently became a grandmother. Lindsey lives in the country between Moulton and Shiner with her husband, and 12-year-old son, 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

by SouthStar BankSeptember 19, 2022

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 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

by SouthStar BankSeptember 12, 2022

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