Profle - January 2019

For more than 100 years and four generations, the Austin Family has been deeply ingrained and involved in the Texas banking industry. They have personifed banking in East Texas since 1909 when John F. Austin, Sr. became a founder of the First State Bank of Frankston. A savvy, ambitious businessman who had his eye on fnancially expanding and evolving the small town, he dutifully served the community bank until his death in 1931.

Sallie and John F. Austin’s sons, John F. Austin, Jr. and Jef Austin, Sr., continued to honor that legacy. John stepped into the role vacated by his father’s death, and Jef joined the Frankston bank in 1937. He was named president in 1946 and served as President and Chairman of Austin Bank until his death in 1997 when Jef Austin, Jr. took over his board position. In 1972, Sissy Austin, joined the Bank as Vice President and Assistant Trust Ofcer. Jef Austin III, a fourth generation banker, continued the family legacy when he became President/CEO of FSB Frankston in 1999 and Vice Chairman of Austin Bank in 2003.

Jef Austin, Sr. carried and greatly expanded the family legacy of leadership, in banking as well as civic and philanthropic endeavors, during his lifetime. It was under his leadership that the Bank grew. From 1944 to 1985 the Austin Family acquired six separate community banks in Big Sandy, Jacksonville, Longview, Rusk, Timpson and

Whitehouse. Other banks were also acquired in Troup and Grand Saline. In 1996 the separate banks were all renamed Austin Bank. In 1997 Austin Bank purchased seven Bank of America locations throughout the East Texas area.

All of the individual banks were combined in 1999 under the bank charter of Austin Bank Texas N.A., Jacksonville which was originally chartered and opened for business in 1900. Eforts to continue serving the East Texas area brought additional acquisitions in 2004 (First National Bank of Bullard) and in 2008 (City National Bank of Kilgore). In 2010, the First State Bank of Frankston was merged into Austin Bank, further expanding the Bank’s service area. Continuing this expansion, the Bank opened new locations in Lufkin (2015), Lindale (2017) and

“My mother, Sallie J. Austin, used to tell me,‘Be good to banking and banking will begood to you’.”

- Jef Austin, Sr.

Jef Austin III Vice Chairman of the Board

Sissy Austin Senior Executive Vice President

Jef Austin, Jr. Chairman of the Board

John P. Williams President/CEO

Three generations of Texas Bankers Association

Chairmen - Jef Austin, Jr. (1988), Jef Austin, Sr. (1966),

and Jef Austin III (2010)

Cleveland (2019).

Executive Management

John P. Williams President/CEO

Williams joined the Austin family of banks in 1991 as President/CEO and Director of First National Bank of Whitehouse. In 1999 he was promoted to Senior Executive Vice President over Operations, and in 2005 promoted to Chief Operating Ofcer. At the March 2006 Board of Directors meeting, Williams was named President and Chief Executive Ofcer of the Bank.

Williams began his 46 year banking career as a Teller. Before joining Austin Bank he was President/CEO and Director of Texas American Bank in Prestonwood and Plano.

A resident of Whitehouse, Williams is a native of Louisiana and graduate of Natchitoches High School. He attended Louisiana State University and Northwestern State University. In addition, he is a graduate of the American Institute of Banking, Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU and National Commercial Lending School in Norman, Oklahoma. He and his wife, Karen, have two daughters and fve grandchildren.

A member of the fnancial services industry for more than 28 years, Gideon has spent the last 22 of those with Austin Bank. He joined in 1997 as Branch Manager of the Grand Saline ofce before serving as President and CEO of First State Bank, Frankston from 2003 to 2010. At that time he returned to Austin Bank and has served as Regional President, Deputy Chief Lending Ofcer and Chief Lending Ofcer before being moved to his current role in 2018.

A graduate of Grand Saline High School, Gideon earned a BBA in Finance at Tarleton State University as well as degrees from the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU and ABA Graduate Commercial Lending School.

A resident of Jacksonville, Gideon and his wife, Cheryl, have two children.

Russ Gideon Chief Operating Ofcer