Volume 9, Issue 2—December 2017

FWIT

NEWSLETTER

In This Issue

Association President

Message

Group Updates & News

Job Postings

Reminder of Website Fo-

rums

A MESSAGE FROM THE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

The holiday season is upon us and 2017 is almost over. We find it hard to Keep It Simple with holiday things at home and work, and year end preparations (especially at work), added to all the things we do throughout the year.

I found three simple rules to Keep It Simple in Joe Callaway’s book. First, focus on what is essential. I think FWIT has this one nailed. Our tagline states our first priority – helping women succeed. It is the defi-nition of what we as an association are about.

The second rule I identified for us is remember who we are. We are a professional organization of women in the financial services industry. Our bylaws expand on who we are with our objectives and purpose:

To bring together women in the financial services industry for the exchange of ideas, experiences and interests;

To further the meaningful professions or careers of our members and women in general;

To encourage women to choose financial services as a career and to advance the career opportunities for all women in the financial services industry; and

To serve as an advocate of, and to promote improvements in the professional development, leadership skills, education and training of women in the financial services industry.

continued on page 2. . . .

Association President Message Continued

Our standard operating procedures add the following: “All activities related to FWIT should coin-

cide and be in support of our stated objectives and purpose.” That helps to keep it simple, but as

I read on in Callaway’s book I stopped when I read that our definition of who we are should be

“plainspoken and clearly defined.” Callaway recommends making it 20 words or less and to write

it so that a child can understand it. We may need to do some work on a statement of who we are

that captures our statement of purpose and objectives.

The third rule boils down to “clear the space”. Remove the clutter. Remember that “less is

more.”

Think about how you can simplify your holidays. Traditions are important, but consider how you

can simplify and take away some of the clutter that stresses us out. A new year is upon us – a

perfect time to Keep It Simple and focus on what is truly important every day.

I wish all of you a happy and blessed season, and a prosperous new year, finally I leave you with

this:

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves.

The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. “

- Edith Lovejoy Pierce, "January: On Opening Things — Snow-

Blind," Meditations for Women, edited by Jean Beaven Abernethy, 1947

Nancy Kinder, NWIT Association President 2017—2018

Our last meeting on November 16, 2017 was held at the El Paso Electric building where the Paso del Norte group met to continue with the 2018 annual conference planning. We had excellent attendance, great ideas and made many decisions and assignments, thus moving the project along. Thank you to all the ladies involved with making this event a successful one.

At the meeting we also recognized Vanessa Ramirez (now Ruiz) for the recent marriage to her best friend and the love of her life, and Nancy Cadena for showcasing her dancing skills and winning several awards at the El Paso Dance for Kids’ Sake. Additionally, we would like to recognize Nilda Miranda for recently completing her Masters Degree.

We are also looking forward to meeting on December 14, 2017 at Park Tavern at 5:30pm for our annu-al holiday celebration where we will enjoy a meal together, be merry, have a gift exchange and strengthen our friendships. This event is always so much fun and awaited with anticipation!

Group Updates

Paso Del Norte

Continued . . .

Nilda Miranda

Nancy Cadena and her

dance partner Matthew

Houston Group

The Houston group ended 2017 with our second annual Christmas gift exchange at Cadillac Bar Mexi-can restaurant. We had 28 members and guests gather to exchange “homemade” Christmas favorites.

We raised $300 in gift cards for the Houston Area Women’s Center Holiday Gift Express at the lunch. Great food and fun was had by all, and we even wore our Christmas hats to complete the festive event! (pictured) We look forward to ringing in the new year with our members on February 7th for a luncheon covering the topic of beneficial ownership.

The group held a fundraiser on December 1st, at the Christmas Parade and After Glow Event pavilion in Fredericksburg, Texas. The event was a success, raising $338. The next event will be on December 14th when the group joins the San Antonio Group gathering at Nancy Kinder’s house.

Left to right, Irma Bustamante and Ronette Walshak.

Hill Country Group

San Antonio Group

The San Antonio Group met November 16th for a lunch meeting at The Barn Door restaurant.

Several guests were welcomed, and Christie Gates, Group President, presented FWIT membership to two new members.

Speaker for the meeting was Janina Guardo of St. Peter-St. Joseph’s Children’s Home, a social service agency providing a safe and loving place for children in crisis. She shared an overview of the program and facility and shared some stories as well.

The group donated canned food and items from the “St. PJ’s” wish list.

Continued . . .

The group’s next meetings are:

December 14th holiday social and dinner with the Hill Country FWIT Group at the home of Nancy Kinder, FWIT President from 5:30 – 7:00 PM

January 18th with Sandy Sullivan of Frost Bank on Fraud at The Barn Door, 8400 N. New Braunfels from 5:30 – 7:00 PM

February 15th at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas – San Antonio Branch for lunch with a speaker from the Federal Reserve Bank

March 8th FWIT Membership Mixer and program by Melissa Hernandez, owner of Bab-cock Health & Wellness Clinic, at The Barn Door, 8400 N. New Braunfels from 5:30 – 7:00 PM

Llano Estacado Group

The Llano Estacado Group partnered with South Plains Banker’s Association to co-host Chris Williston,

President and CEO of IBAT. Chris is always a great attraction and continuous supporter of FWIT!

Combined attendance included approximately 70 attending from both organizations. Chris shared his

vision and inspiring words of wisdom about, “10 Fearless Predictions for 2018 and Beyond”. His mes-

sage posed many challenges that many community banks currently or will possibly face in the upcom-

ing year and beyond. He mentioned the political views and anticipated changes in the financial indus-

try forthcoming, as well as some insightful things to ponder as we approach 2018.

Chris continues to be one of FWIT’s biggest supporters and in true Chris Williston style, gave FWIT a nice short plug at the end of his program, by saying “If you’re not a member of these organizations, you should be.”

Llano Estacado Group welcomes these new members from the Lubbock area. Here are our newest members:

Sarah Barnhill, First Bank & Trust

Heather Crawford, First Bank & Trust

Marilyn Dixon, First Bank & Trust

Kacy Hensley, Alliance Credit Union

Lynette Hollis, First Bank & Trust

Melanie Littlefield, The ABC Bank

Karen Stewart, First Bank & Trust

Peggy White, Wellington State Bank

Continued . . .

December 14th at the Board & Brush Creative Studio, 5905 82nd Street, Ste 111, Lubbock, TX . This

evening with the FWIT ladies will be one of our membership mixer and fundraiser events, with a portion of

each registered project benefiting our scholarship fund. Members and non-members are welcomed and

may “pick their project” at: https://boardandbrush.com/lubbock/events/reserved-financial-women-texas-

fundraiser-65// .

January 11th at LakeRidge Country Club, 8802 Vicksburg Ave, Lubbock, with Lubbock City Council-

woman District 2, Shelia Patterson-Harris, from noon to 1:00pm. Shelia’s message will be about leadership

and serving your community.

February 8th at LakeRidge Country Club, 8802 Vicksburg Ave, Lubbock, with Calvin Davis, District

Director of Lubbock West Texas Small Business Administration, noon to 1:00pm. Calvin’s message will be

on “Equity and Parity in the World of Finance”

Upcoming meetings for the Llano Estacado Group include:

Austin Group

FWIT Austin Group members Dianna Kana, Amy Wilhelm-Rabel and Essie Espinoza are excited to

announce that First National Bank of Bastrop was named to the Austin American-Statesman's Top

Workplaces 2017, a list of the best places to work in the Greater Austin area. This is a great honor to

have been selected, particularly as the judges were FNB, Bastrop employees!

Congratulations, FNB Bastrop, from FWIT!

Also-

Because of the recommendation by a fellow FWIT member (Sharon Zakes) to the Partners of Fen-

imore, Kay, Harrison & Ford, Lauren Davis Stark has been invited to attend the Strategic Opportunities

this November in New Orleans. This conference is a regional conference of community bank leaders,

and is co-sponsored by the Texas Bankers Association, the Louisiana Bankers Association, the Arkan-

sas Bankers Association, the Mississippi Bankers Association, and the Oklahoma Bankers Association.

Lauren is the current secretary of the Austin Group Board, and is the Director of Operations and Mar-

keting at FKHF. She’s honored to have the opportunity to interface with the bankers she’s been serving

for over three years at the firm.

We will be having a Christmas get together for our next meeting and then kick off 2018 with a big meet-

ing and hot topic speaker.

GROUP PRESIDENTS You can post pictures of your Group activities, meetings and other events on our Facebook page or contact Christina Baker for her to post.

Also—Please remind your members to “like”, “share”, and join us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Our Website provides you access to: News and Upcoming Events

Discussion Forums

Job Postings

Much more!!

Visit the website

www.fwitexas.org

Don’t forget to “Like Us” on Facebook

and connect with us on LinkedIn