Austin Bank recently honored employees for their outstanding work and years of service with the company. They were recognized at the bank’s 2024 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 Southeast 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. 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,” said Russ Gideon, President and CEO.
This year’s annual luncheon recognized Austin Bank employees who completed five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 65 years of service in 2024. The honored group of 65 employees makes up a combined total of 891 years of experience. Cleveland recipients include:
Five Year Service Awards
Tasha Childress serves as Senior Vice President and Director of Retail Operations for the bank. She joined the Austin Bank team in 2019 with the opening of the Cleveland location and has served as retail office manager and retail market manager during her tenure. With over 23 years of banking experience, Childress has experience in many bank roles. She is a graduate of Shepherd High School and attended Lone Star College as well as Sam Houston State University.
In addition she has completed the Texas Bankers Association Management Development Program and numerous leadership and banking courses. Childress and her husband, JR, live in Cleveland with their children, Blane and Braylin. Very active in her community, she currently serves as Treasurer for the Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, Salvation Army, and Cleveland ISD Education Foundation; Secretary and Past-President for the Rotary Club of Cleveland; and is an active member of Liberty Church, where she works in the children’s ministry.
Lizbet Portillo, Retail Office Manager, has ten years of banking experience, spending the last five with Austin Bank. Starting as a universal banker, Portillo was promoted to her current position in 2023. She and her husband, Jose Morales, live in Cleveland with their two daughters. Portillo has been honored with a Best Customer Service Award from the Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce.
Yeimi Renteria, Universal Banker, is a graduate of Sam Houston High School. She joined the bank in 2019 with four years of previous experience as a teller. Renteria played a key role in the opening of the Cleveland office, and is a member of the team voted Best Customer Service by the Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce. She is a proud aunt to four nieces and two nephews.
Austin Bank, a community bank headquartered in Jacksonville, Texas, has been voted one of the “Best Companies to Work for in Texas” for the fifteenth consecutive year. With assets in excess of $2.9 billion, bank offices are located in 38 Texas locations within 26 cities and 14 counties. Austin Bank is locally owned and operated by the Austin Family who is celebrating 115 years of service in the Texas banking industry.
More information about Austin Bank can be found on the bank’s website at http://www.austinbank.com.