Interstate Bank Announces Leadership Changes: Danny Skarda Retires, Blair Berg Elects Chairman and CEO
Interstate Bank announced the retirement of Danny Skarda, chairman and chief executive officer, and the selection of Blair Berg as his successor. Mr Blair will assume his new role on September 30th.
Berg has served as chief financial officer for Interstate Bank for the past five years and has 18 years of experience in the industry, according to a news release. He holds degrees in accounting and business administration from Texas Lutheran University and has demonstrated exceptional leadership, critical thinking, and a strong commitment to the community. He also chairs the finance committee at Beautiful Redeemer Lutheran Church.
A third-generation banker, Mr. Skarda retired after an illustrious career managing banks in New Mexico, Montana and Texas for more than 45 years. His tenure as CEO began in 1981 and he has been deeply involved in developing and coaching the team. Looking back on his career, Skarda said, “You’re as good as your subordinates, but we’re pretty good.”
Mr. Skarda’s retirement reception was held on September 26th at the Interstate Bank Amarillo Branch, SS5085 Coulter Street.
Interstate Bank has been a trusted financial institution in the Texas Panhandle for more than 60 years, continuing its tradition of providing personal banking services through its locations in Perryton and Amarillo. The bank offers a wide range of financial products, including personal and business accounts, loans, and money management services, while maintaining its commitment to the local community. For more information, please visit Interstate Bank’s website.
NWS: Cardiovascular Center implants first device in Amarillo to treat symptoms of heart failure
On September 23, Northwest Texas Healthcare System (NWS) Cardiovascular Center announced the launch of Barostim Barostim Baroreflex Activation, the world’s first FDA-approved heart failure device that harnesses neuromodulation (the power of the brain and nervous system) to improve symptoms. The hospital announced that it had successfully implanted the therapy for the first time. Symptoms of patients with systolic heart failure.
The therapy was designed to treat heart failure patients for whom drug therapy alone may not provide sufficient relief, according to a news release. The surgery was performed at the NWDHS Cardiovascular Center and was performed by Dr. Bradley Trinidad, a vascular surgeon, and Dr. Prakash Desai, a doctor of cardiology/electrophysiology.
“It is important to us to provide our heart failure patients with the latest and most innovative medical technology, which is in line with our standards as a regional cardiovascular center in the region.” – said Dr. Bradley Trinidad, Chief of Vascular Surgery.
Unlike other heart failure device treatments, Barostim does not involve any hardware in the heart or vascular system. It works by electrically stimulating baroreceptors, natural sensors in the walls of the carotid arteries, which tell the nervous system how to regulate the function of the heart, kidneys, and blood vessels. These effects reduce the load on the heart, allowing it to pump more efficiently, restoring balance to the autonomic nervous system and improving symptoms of heart failure.
First United Bank welcomes Brayden Russert as vice president of commercial lending and Bianca Ramirez as vice president of mortgage lending.
Plains Bancorp, the holding company for First United Bank, is proud to announce the addition of Brayden Russert to the Amarillo lending team and Bianca Ramirez to the Spirit Mortgage Amarillo lending team. . Mr. Rusato will serve as Vice President of Commercial Lending, and Mr. Ramirez will serve as Vice President of Mortgage Loans. Both will be located at the Amarillo Colonies Banking Center, located at 4501 First United Bank Parkway in Amarillo.
Mr. Rusato, an Amarillo native, graduated from the University of North Texas in 2014. After nearly a decade working for financial institutions in North Texas, he and his wife, Kelly, are excited to return to Amarillo and serve the people and businesses of West Texas. . Outside of commercial lending, Ms. Russert enjoys serving her community through volunteer work and spending time with her family.
Mr. Ramirez, a Hereford native, graduated from Amarillo College in 2018 with a degree in business administration. Mr. Ramirez currently serves on the board of the Amarillo Association of Realtors and is a member of the Amarillo Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Outside of mortgage lending, Ramirez enjoys playing softball and volleyball. Outside of work, she is busy raising three daughters with her husband Brandon.
First United Bank, a subsidiary of Plains Bancorp, Inc., reports total assets of more than $2 billion and currently operates 17 banking center offices in 13 markets in West Texas, including Amarillo; Visit us online at www.FirstUnited.BANK: Canyon, Childress, Dimmit, Earth, La Mesa, Littlefield, Lubbock, Paducah, Seagraves, Sudanese Seminole, and Wichita Falls, Texas.
TTUHSC selected as a “Great Place to Work” in 2024
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) has once again been named one of the Best Colleges to Work in the United States and received special designation as an “Honors” institution, according to a recent study by The Great Colleges to Work For program.
The results were announced on September 20th in a special insert on GreatCollegesList.com and The Chronicle of Higher Education. The results are based on a survey of 216 universities, according to a news release. A total of 75 of these institutions were recognized as Best Places to Work for specific best practices and policies. TTUHSC was also named to the Great Colleges Honor Roll. This honor is a status given to only 42 schools as outstanding in their size category. This marks the third year in a row that TTUHSC has earned the Honor Roll title. Results are reported for small, medium, and large institutions, and TTUHSC is included among medium-sized universities.
TTUHSC earned honors in five categories this year: job satisfaction and support. Compensation and Benefits. professional development; shared governance; and faculty experience.
“We are committed to fostering a great working environment comprised of individuals who embody our core values, and our Great Colleges to Work For designation reflects this.” said Dr. Lori Rice Spearman, TTUHSC president. “Each member of our team plays a critical role in delivering on our commitment to improving access to care and impacting the future of health across our great state.”
The 28th Annual Indoor Barbecue Cook-off will be held on October 3rd
The Amarillo Chamber of Commerce will host the 28th Annual Good Times Celebration Barbecue Cook-Off at the Tri-State Fairgrounds on Thursday, Oct. 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. In the south parking lot of the Amarillo National Center Arena at the Fairgrounds, 100 culinary teams and sponsors will be serving up mouth-watering barbecue with all the ingredients and cold drinks. The event will also feature live music from Velvet Funk and award prizes for the top three in the corporate, amateur and professional categories for preparing ribs, brisket and other meats.
Tickets for this event are just $30 in advance and $40 at the door and include all-you-can-eat, drink, live music and networking. Tickets are on sale now at the Chamber of Commerce office located at 1000 S Polk, the Civic Center Box Office, by phone at (806) 378-3096, or online at PanhandleTickets.com.
A big thank you to our sponsors Reed Beverage, Tyson Foods, United Supermarkets/Market Street/Amigos, and nearly 100 other sponsor teams.
For more information about this event, visit https://www.amarillo-chamber.org/barbecue-cook-off.html, call the Chamber at (806) 373-7800, or connect with Amarillo Chamber of Commerce on social media. Search for a chamber. Due to software/technology issues, tickets will not be sold at United Supermarkets/Market Street/Amigos (Panhandle ticket outlet) this year, so the two primary locations for purchasing tickets will be the Chamber of Commerce and the Box Office. Masu.
USDA launches assistance network to help financially distressed farmers and ranchers
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the launch of the Distressed Borrower Assistance Network, an initiative aimed at providing individualized assistance to economically disadvantaged farmers and ranchers across the United States. .
Through a series of cooperative agreements, this national network connects distressed borrowers with individualized assistance to help them stabilize and restore their financial footing. The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) made the announcement this week at the Farm Aid Festival in Saratoga Springs, New York, according to a news release.
The FSA recently announced significant changes to its agricultural lending program with enhanced program access and delivery rules for agricultural lending. These policy changes, which will come into effect on September 25, 2024, are aimed at expanding opportunities for borrowers to increase profitability and prepare for strategic investments in strengthening or expanding their agricultural operations.
USDA encourages producers to contact their local FSA agricultural loan officer to fully understand the wide range of financing and service options available to help start, expand, and maintain farm operations. I’m doing it. To do business with FSA, producers must contact their local USDA service center.
