Category Archives: Finance/Banking

Teen Promotes Financial Literacy To Peers

David Arturo Muñoz-Matta has had a fascination with finance for years. He moved to the United States with his mom, Mariel Muñoz-Matta, at the age of 6, having no idea where that fascination would eventually take him. Muñoz-Matta would talk about stocks with his science teacher, Mike Aranda, during his years at Brown Middle School. He laughs, noting he was not a stellar student then. He preferred to study people…

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Lone Star National Bank Hosts Food Drive

Food Drive

Lone Star National Bank is hosting its 14th annual Food Drive through Nov. 17. The community-driven initiative aims to combat hunger in local communities. The annual food drive has become a hallmark of Lone Star National Bank’s commitment to social responsibility, and this year’s event looks to be more impactful than ever. “Our employees look forward to expanding efforts to bless more families during the 2023 holiday season,” said Lone…

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Texas State Bankshares Announces Definitive Agreement with Estrada Hinojosa & Company

Texas State Bankshares Inc.

Texas State Bankshares Inc., the registered bank holding company for Texas Regional Bank headquartered in Harlingen, announced this week it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Dallas-based investment banking group Estrada Hinojosa & Company Inc. pending receipt of all required regulatory and shareholder approvals. TRB’s acquisition of Estrada Hinojosa will add a team of 48 individuals and offices in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Edinburg, Miami, Chicago and New…

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Lone Star National Bank Wins Banking Awards

Lone Star National Bank's “Cowboy Cash Saving Habits” recently won a Gold Eagle Award from the Independent Bankers Association of Texas.

The Independent Bankers Association of Texas recently honored Lone Star National Bank of McAllen with two Best of Community Banking Awards. Lone Star National Bank received a Gold Eagle award for its “Secret Teller” bank culture entry and a Gold Eagle award for its “Cowboy Cash Saving Habits” financial literacy entry.  The Secret Teller program’s inspiration comes from Lone Star National Bank’s values as a company. Secret Teller features the…

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Rusteberg Dedicated Life & Work To Brownsville

A wall of honor at IBC-Brownsville lauds the legacy of Fred W. Rusteberg.

Fred W. Rusteberg was known as a gentleman, a soft-spoken and persistent advocate for his banking company and community. Rusteberg could also bring it, when need be, a steely resolve emerging when he saw an injustice or inequity that required a challenge. One of those times occurred about 20 years ago when the chancellor of the University of Texas System visited Brownsville. It was to be a festive occasion in…

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PlainsCapital Hires Harlingen-Based Executives

PlainsCapital Bank

PlainsCapital Bank has added two executives to its Harlingen banking group in bolstering commercial loan and business development services for a growing market. Charles Hervey is the banking group’s senior vice president, commercial loan officer, and Scott Allex serves as vice president, business development officer. The hires mark an expansion of PlainsCapital operations in the Harlingen market. The bank company’s regional leadership cited the experience of the two executives in…

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VITA Provides Free Tax Prep Services

Texas Southmost College Accounting Technology students are currently offering free tax preparation services via the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. For almost 20 years, TSC has partnered with the United Way of Southern Cameron County to offer the VITA service. Students from TSC’s Special Topics in Taxation course are now assisting individuals and families in the Rio Grande Valley. “Every year this experience proves to be a great opportunity for…

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New Tower Highlights Rio Bank Growth

The stylish lobby of the new Rio Bank corporate headquarters in McAllen.

The view from Ford Sasser’s sixth-floor office offers a wide expanse view of the expressway traffic running beneath it. Rio Bank’s new office tower looks out over Expressway 77/83 in McAllen since its opening in October. The city’s hospitals and medical district are just across the way. Sasser, Rio Bank’s president and chief executive officer, is a fixture on local television with a signature and folksy line. “Your kind of…

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RGV Banker Elected To State Association Board 

Ricky Leal

An executive with First Community Bank has been elected to the board of directors of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas. Ricky Leal, the senior vice president/commercial lending for First Community, was selected during the organization’s recent virtual annual convention. Leal joined First Community 15 years ago as a commercial lender before rising to serve on the company’s executive team. First Community is the only bank company of its type…

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Lone Star Steps Up To Help

Restaurants like this one in Brownsville are the type of businesses that applied for SBA emergency loans. (VBR)

Lone Star National Bank President David Deanda knew he and his staff had the challenge of a banking lifetime before them.  The outbreak of COVID-19 had brought the South Texas economy to a sudden and shocking halt. Small businesses in the Rio Grande Valley were soon desperate for help. The federal government offered two lifelines. One was the Paycheck Protection Program. The other was the Economic Injury Disaster program.  Both…

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