Austin Bank Jacksonville recognizes employees

Dec. 24—Austin Bank recently honored employees for their outstanding work and years of service with the company. They were recognized at the bank's 2023 Service Award Luncheon held Dec. 19 at Willow Brook Country Club in Tyler.

"We are proud of all these employees because they work as a team serving our friends, neighbors and businesses located here in East Texas," said Austin Bank Chairman of the Board Jeff Austin III. "They are the key to our bank's success. Each one takes pride in the tasks they handle in their job; and at the same time these employees continually strive to provide excellent service to our bank customers."

"At Austin Bank our employees are the difference and perpetuate Austin Bank's legacy," said President and CEO Russ Gideon. "Each one has earned and deserves this recognition for their dedicated commitment to the bank and its customers. We are proud of their contributions and accomplishments."

This year's annual luncheon recognized Austin Bank employees who completed five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service in 2023. The honored group of 67 employees makes up a combined total of 841 years of experience. Jacksonville recipients include:

Thirty Year Service Award

Joan Malone is a senior vice president and the location president at the bank's South Jacksonville office. Her entire 30-year banking career has been spent with Austin Bank where she has worked as a commercial loan secretary, real estate loan processor, operations supervisor, real estate loan officer and lender. Malone is a graduate of Frankston High School and attended Tyler Junior College. A longtime resident of Jacksonville, Malone is married to L.C. "Junior" Malone, and they have two daughters and six grandchildren. With a strong commitment to civic service, she is involved with the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce having served as Director of the Board, past Chairwoman and been recognized as Business Woman of the Year; a member of the Kiwanis Club where she served as past President and received Kiwanian of the Year; is a member of the Iota Rho Chapter of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and served as past President of the Xi Kappa Chapter. Malone attends Fellowship Bible Church.

Twenty-five Year Service Awards

Lisa Emmons, senior vice president and director of digital banking, has been with Austin Bank for 25 years. She has more than 39 years of experience in the banking industry. Having experience in most all areas of the bank, Emmons' time with Austin Bank has been spent as an executive administrative officer, as a retail office manager and as a retail market manager over the Tyler and Cherokee County offices before assuming her current position. She is a graduate of John Tyler High School and attended Tyler Junior College. Emmons has completed multiple banking courses through Texas Bankers Association and Austin Bank as well as the Jacksonville Leadership program. She and her husband, Tim, are residents of Jacksonville. Emmons has two children, four grandchildren, and is a member of First Baptist Church of Frankston.

Pam Pate is a senior vice president and senior recruiting officer for the bank. In her 25 year tenure, Pate has worked as a payroll specialist and personnel officer. She is a graduate of Brazoswood High School in Lake Jackson, Texas, Tyler Junior College and LeTourneau University. Pate has completed the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program as well as both the Austin Bank STAR and Leadership programs. She and her husband, Steve, reside in Jacksonville and are members of Covenant Church in Rusk. They have three sons and daughters-in-law with seven grandchildren.

Fifteen Year Service Awards

Jessica Guerrero is the retail office manager in the Jacksonville South office. During her tenure at the Bank, she has served as a teller and as the teller supervisor in the drive thru and downtown offices before assuming her current position. Guerrero is a graduate of New Summerfield High School and attended Tyler Junior College. She has completed the Jacksonville Leadership program and is currently enrolled in the Austin Bank Star program. Married to Juan Guerrero, they reside in New Summerfield and have three children. She is an active member of her community, currently serving as a board member for Cherokee County Child and Family Services as well as Treasurer for the New Summerfield FFA Buyers Group.

Yolanda Moreyra is a banking officer and loan assistant at the South Jacksonville location. She is a graduate of Jacksonville High School, attended Jacksonville College and completed the Jacksonville Chamber's Leadership Program. Moreyra and her husband, Aurelio, have four children and reside in Jacksonville.

Ten Year Service Awards

Christine Houston Cornelius joined Austin Bank in 2013 as a teller and has worked in the Jacksonville drive thru and Rusk locations. Now serving as a loan assistant, Cornelius is a graduate of Rusk High School. She and her husband, James, live in Rusk and share four children.

Natalie Henderson, vice president and assistant retail market manager, oversees the Jacksonville Main location. She joined the bank in 2013 as a teller in Frankston with four years of previous banking experience and assumed her current duties in 2017. Henderson is a graduate of Guyer High School in Denton, Trinity Valley Community College and has completed numerous banking courses. She lives in Frankston with her two children and attends CrossPointe Church in Tyler. Henderson currently serves as treasurer for the Lenore Berry Sports Association.

Five Year Service Awards

Hannah Cochrane is a customer service representative working in the bank's downtown Jacksonville office. Prior to joining the Jacksonville office, Cochrane worked as a teller throughout the Southwest Region. She and her husband, Chance, live in Jacksonville and Cochrane is a Bible teacher with the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Virginia DeLuna, human resources support assistant, is a longtime resident of Jacksonville. She is a graduate of New Summerfield High School and has two daughters.

Janelin Higuera, accounting and human resources assistant, joined the bank in 2018 and has worked as a teller and credit analyst before moving into her current role. She is a graduate of John Tyler High School, Tyler Junior College, the University of Texas at Tyler and Texas A&M Commerce. Higuera and her husband, Zachary Carder, live in Tyler and attend St. Peter Claver Parish Catholic Church.

Meyra Mendoza, teller, works from the bank's Jacksonville South office. She graduated from Alto High School and has completed courses at Angelina College and Tyler Junior College. Mendoza and her husband, Juan, live in New Summerfield and are members at Iglesia Bautista Aposento Alto. She is a mentor in the bank's mentorship program.

Austin Bank, a community bank headquartered in Jacksonville, has been voted one of the "Best Companies to Work for in Texas" for 14 consecutive years. With assets in excess of $2.7 billion, bank offices are located in 36 East Texas locations within 26 cities and 14 counties. Austin Bank is locally owned and operated by the Austin Family who is celebrating 114 years of service in the Texas banking industry.

More information about Austin Bank can be found on the bank's website at www.austinbank.com.