December 2025 - Star of the Month - Janelin Higuera

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 Assistant in Jacksonville, splitting her time between the accounting and human resources departments.  She first started with the bank in 2018 as a teller at the Tyler South location while she worked to complete her accounting degree.  Upon graduation in 2020, she moved into the role of a credit analyst, continuing to expand her banking knowledge before moving to her current role in 2023.  During her tenure, Janelin has garnered a wealth of banking and financial knowledge that benefits her work in accounting.  She is willing to help colleagues, shares responsibility, and sets aside personal interests for the good of the team.  Others have also noted her ability to be flexible and adaptable; her dependability in completing tasks on time; as well as her initiative in offering ideas and expertise. 

Janelin has been described as a “breath of fresh air”.  She consistently has a positive attitude and always goes out of her way to help others, working to make their jobs easier.  David Rodarte, Assistant Vice President/Credit Analyst Assistant Manager, shares about a time he and Janelin represented the bank at a college job fair.  Though Janelin was no longer in the department, she didn’t shy away from answering students’ questions relating to the credit analyst position.  He said, “Janelin really helped make this experience a smooth one for me.  I was impressed with her interactions with the students, and I felt like each one really got something out of their encounter with the Austin Bank group.  Janelin was a big part of making that happen.”

When not at the bank, Janelin enjoys spending time traveling with friends and family.  She and her husband, Zach Carder, live in Tyler with their three fur babies – Coco, Princess, and Chaparro.  She holds an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration from Tyler Junior College and a Bachelors of Business Administration in Accounting from The University of Texas at Tyler.

“Upon first meeting Janelin, I was impressed by her eagerness to learn and drive to succeed.  She is a great fit for the accounting department because she brings excellent value, gets along with everyone, and occasionally forces our otherwise introverted group to participate in ‘fun’ activities that don’t involve spreadsheets.”

Misde Shillings, Executive Vice President/Controller, Jacksonville

“Janelin has learned so much in her role, and has given her best to always meet the goals of both departments.  The excellence with which she performs her job speaks so much about her.  I am super proud of her hard work and dedication to both accounting and human resources.”

Lynn Littlejohn, Senior Executive Vice President/Chief Human Resources Officer, Jacksonville

“I was thrilled when Janelin was able to move into the accounting department and she has proven to be an invaluable asset ever since.  She is a quick learner who eagerly jumps in to help and enthusiastically embraces new tasks.”

Sandy Rayburn, Senior Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer, Jacksonville