Star of the Month

While some technical aspects of customer service can be trained, there is more often than not a set of soft skills and behavior traits that allow some employees to excel in this area. This month’s Star possesses those essential qualities – empathy, patience, professionalism, and a genuine desire to help others - which have earned him the respect of his coworkers, and their nominations for Star of the Month.  We are excited to introduce you to Daniel Torres, Universal Banker in...

One of the core values held by Austin Bank is that of nurturing.  By definition, nurturing is the process of caring for, supporting, and encouraging the growth, development, or success of someone or something.  This month’s Star has been the very picture of this definition since she came to work in our Marshall office.  Her employees made sure to note it in their nominations, and we are excited to honor this trait as we recognize Melanie Valdez, Retail Office Manager, as our...

In an organization the size of our bank, it truly takes efforts from everyone on the team to ensure positive customer interactions, increased productivity, and a supportive workplace culture. As John Nash said in the movie A Beautiful Mind – “. . . the best result would come from everyone in the group doing what is best for himself and the group.” This month’s Star personifies the term ‘team player’ and is praised by those around her for the job she is doing....

When customers enter the Austin Bank office in Frankston, they are consistently greeted with a smiling face and a positive, friendly attitude.  This helps set the stage for the rest of the customer’s experience and provides a great foundation for the team to build upon.  We are honored to introduce our March Star of the Month, and the first contact you’ll meet upon entry into Frankston, Brenda McMichael.

Brenda currently serves as a customer service representative,...

The Information Technology (IT) team at Austin Bank is critical to our organization and serves as the backbone for operational efficiency, data security, and strategic growth.  This team is responsible for ensuring banking systems are available 24/7, protecting sensitive data from cyber threats, and supporting employee productivity by managing technology infrastructure.  This month we are pleased to shine the spotlight on a member of this team and recognize Lance Byrnes, Systems Administrator,...

This month’s Star brings creativity and a passion for telling the bank’s story to every task assigned. We are excited to have her on the Austin Bank team and look forward to watching her career grow. Please help us congratulate Sydney Peloquin, Digital Marketing Specialist, on her selection as our January Star of the Month.

Sydney began working for the bank in October 2023 as a teller at our Bullard location. When a position opened up in the Marketing department, she...

Our final Star for 2025 has earned respect and admiration in her work across multiple departments within the bank.  She is a success-oriented employee who is a true team player – highly committed to the bank’s overall goals, taking ownership of team performance, and contributing her skills while supporting others.  We are proud to introduce you to Janelin Higuera, our December Star of the Month.

Janelin currently serves as a Staff Accountant and Human Resources...

This month’s Star may be new to supervisory roles, but she has come in and made her team’s well-being, growth, and success a priority.  With a focus on open communication, empowerment, and creating a supportive environment where everyone feels valued, she leads her team well and is committed to their success.  We are excited to introduce you to Odulia Ramirez, Teller Operations Supervisor in our Marshall location, and our November Star of the Month.

Odulia joined...

Our Star for October has been a member of the Austin Bank team since 2009.  For the last sixteen years, he has brought his unique charisma and genuine enthusiasm into the bank, brightening the days of those he works with along with the customers he helps.  We are honored to introduce Ramon Merkley, Loan Assistant in our Longview Pine Tree office, as our October Star of the Month.

Ramon began his banking career as a teller in the bank’s Kilgore location.  He moved...

This month’s Star is a proactive, self-sufficient problem-solver.  She has a positive, friendly, outgoing demeanor which sets the tone for those around her.  We are excited to introduce you to Tammy Davidson, a Real Estate Specialist working from our Whitehouse annex.

Though Tammy exhibits each of these characteristics in the general performance of her day-to-day tasks, she specifically garnered the attention of coworkers during a recent implementation of the Empower...