Tag Archives: Banks

Atascosa National Bank Branch is Now TexStar National Bank

By North SA Chamber Editor
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TexStar logoThe Atascosa National Bank branch located at 8780 US Highway 87 became TexStar National Bank as of January 12, 2013.

Byron Bexley, Chairman and CEO of TexStar National Bank said, “The location of the Branch fits well with our current footprint and the customer base gives TexStar an exciting opportunity to serve the business and personal banking needs of the Adkins and China Grove communities. Customer service will continue to be the Bank’s top priority as we serve the specific needs of this area.”

TexStar National Bank is a locally owned community bank with 5 other locations in Universal City, Converse, Downtown San Antonio, near the San Antonio Airport and on Interstate 35 in New Braunfels.

Jefferson Bank Continues Online Security Measures in the New Year

By North SA Chamber Editor
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JeffersonBank Logo With All Service Lines - LINEART centered 2cThe modern equivalent of sifting through mail in the mailbox: you scan your email columns (from, subject, date sent) and decide which mail to open and read immediately, which messages to defer to another time and which to delete unopened. Over the past decade, your email has become your primary mailbox, where memos from the boss and notes from the kids arrive alongside ads or junk mail from sites you forgot you subscribed to.

At one time, the prospect of confidential banking information sitting in your inbox would have sent the cautious person into a panic. Even if email is the most immediate way to send information to you, financials swirling through the global network between you and your bank could be intimidating. We have all heard about the potential for hacking, stolen identity and other criminal activity.

Your neighbors at Jefferson Bank have studied this problem in depth. As e-commerce proliferates, they have kept up with the latest precautionary measures and share that information in customer communications and on their website. Additionally, critical information that the bank sends to its customers is securely encrypted. Encryption obscures information until it is “decoded” by the user – the bank customer receiving the email.

“Our email encryption system scrambles the information in the email. If an unauthorized party intercepts the email, the information is useless to them because it is unreadable. When the email is securely received, the customer authorizes it, and it delivers the information,” Betsy Baker, Jefferson Bank’s Vice President of Marketing, said.

Jefferson’s encrypted email system also makes sure you know who the email is coming from. By now, most computer users know email asking for login, password or other sensitive information is highly suspicious.

“There is no doubt that the email is from Jefferson Bank and includes important information that is encrypted to be secure,” Baker said. “Any other email asking sensitive questions about your banking business should be immediately discarded or reported.”

Encrypted email is not new – the online business community has been working with encryption algorithms for more than a decade. Everyone wants to be able to use the mobile, fluid convenience of online communications without worrying about electronic eavesdropping or criminal malfeasance. Jefferson Bank was careful to adopt proven technologies in order to provide their customers with as much convenience and security as possible.

Encryption and online security in general, requires active participation by the receiver as well as the sender. Jefferson Bank has provided a thorough guide to online and email security on their website. You don’t need to be a Jefferson Bank customer to review your personal systems and practices.

“Our customers are our top priority,” said Baker “and this is just another way that we have continually tried to provide the most personalized service possible for them.”

Amegy Bank’s Treasury Management Services Are Smart Strategies That Can Help Your Business

By North SA Chamber Editor
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AmegyBankofTexas_RGB_rIn today’s hectic business environment, many business owners and managers are often so focused on the day to day operations that they don’t have the time to concentrate on enhancing their overall business plans.  Amegy Bank believes that beginning of the New Year is an excellent time for companies to evaluate their internal processes, including their financial strategies.

One way that businesses of all sizes are improving their money management is to utilize treasury management through their banks.  By incorporating just a few treasury management services into your company’s cash management strategy, you can drive efficiency, save money, enhance security and position your business to increase its overall revenue.  Amegy offers a wide range of treasury management solutions that can benefit your business, including:

Remote Deposits
Amegy’s remote deposit service gives clients the ability to scan and electronically submit checks for deposit using a basic PC with Internet connectivity and a certified scanner available through the bank.  This improves the efficiency of your business as it allows you to make check deposits electronically without having to physically transport checks to the bank.  Cash flow is improved since funds are available much faster and deposits can be made after typical branch closing times.

Lockbox
Lockbox helps your business reduce collection float, accelerate remittance procedures and simplify accounts receivables processing.  You can reduce your processing costs by outsourcing your accounts receivable processing to the bank and increase the speed of cash flow.

Merchant Services
Merchant Services is the treasury management capability that lets you accept credit and debit cards for goods and services sold to your customers.  Amegy can provide you with the proper tools, software and security measures to process payments and receive credit directly into your account.  Merchant services will not only benefit your business, but will also provide a convenience to your customers, as they have the option to use other payment methods besides cash and checks.

Electronic Payments
Many businesses utilize Automated Clearing House (ACH), an electronic payment network that businesses use to transfer funds from one account to another.  It can be used to automate payroll and for making business to business payments, thus eliminating the need to print and mail paper checks.  This option also reduces the room for error and is less expensive than wire transfers.

Fraud Prevention Services
Check fraud in the United States has increased to billion-dollar levels. Technology has made it easy for fraudsters to create fraudulent checks and present them as real checks.   There are treasury management tools that can help protect you protect your business from unauthorized transactions.

For example, as electronic payments are becoming more widely used, ACH fraud has increased as well.  Amegy offers a web-based system called ACH Positive Pay, which is a web based system that allows businesses to establish a list of ACH filters and view and approve ACH transactions.  There is also a Positive Pay with Payee Match solution where the business sends the bank a file every time checks are issued.  The bank will then match the checks the company issued against checks presented for payment, and any exceptions are reported to the company for a “pay” or “no pay” decision.

Commercial Cards
The Commercial Card (also known as Purchase Card) allows a business to simplify and enhance all aspects of the purchasing processes, including transaction monitoring, reporting, online expense management tools, vendor negotiations, security and payment.  A Commercial Card program allows a company to bring their business expenses back into tight control along with efficient management.

Additionally, Amegy’s online accounts receivable collections tools can give you the ability to debit your customers for a one-time payment, a recurring payment or a payment plan, via ACH or credit card.  This makes it easier for customers to make payments at their convenience.

These are just a few examples of the many treasury management resources available to businesses; there is no one-size-fits-all approach.  Amegy Bank offers a variety of treasury management products and services and can work with you to find the best solution to meet your needs.  If you would like to talk to an Amegy banker about treasury management options for your business, please contact our treasury management team at (210) 343-4421 or visit us at www.amegybank.com.

Wells Fargo Donates $300,000 to Accion Texas

By North SA Chamber Editor
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From left: Marianne Watson, senior vice president of Wells Fargo in San Antonio and Accion Texas board member; Janie Barrera, Accion Texas president and CEO; Steve Arnold, Wells Fargo area president for the San Antonio market; and Jennifer Moriarty, Wells Fargo vice president of community development.

Accion Texas Inc. – which manages the nation’s largest microloan portfolio – has received a $300,000 grant from Wells Fargo to create a small business incubator at the nonprofit organization’s future two-acre campus on the city’s West Side.

Earlier this year, Accion announced a $5.5 million capital campaign to build a new Lending and Learning Entrepreneurial Center.  The Wells Fargo grant is earmarked for that campaign and will fund a free-standing 2,000-square-foot Wells Fargo Small Business Incubator on the new campus.  The incubator will help entrepreneurs start, sustain and grow new enterprises throughout San Antonio and South Texas.

“We are honored and delighted to receive this generous gift from Wells Fargo,” said Accion Texas President and CEO Janie Barrera.  “Not only does it bring us closer to our capital campaign goal, it is a vote of confidence in our work and mission – and it demonstrates our shared commitment to creating a nurturing environment for small businesses to obtain the tools they need to succeed.  The new incubator will substantially expand our outreach.”

Steve Arnold, Wells Fargo area president for the San Antonio market, said the gift celebrates the company’s ongoing partnership with Accion.  “We have worked with Accion since the first day it opened its doors in 1994 as board member, funder and as a referral partner. Our missions are very much the same.

We strongly believe in helping small businesses and entrepreneurs realize their dreams,” Arnold added.  “Financial success takes hard work and vision.  This new incubator will provide hands-on experience and training for men and women who have the desire to create their own businesses and to build a better future for themselves and their families.  This is economic development at the grassroots level and it will translate to a stronger, more vibrant San Antonio community.”

Accion’s $5.5 million capital campaign, “We Believe,” was publicly announced on June 15.  More than half of the goal has been raised to date.

The Accion Lending and Learning Entrepreneurial Center – to be located on a two-acre site at 2015 W. Martin Street in the historic Prospect Hill area — will consolidate the organization’s San Antonio operations under one roof, creating a “one stop” location for small business lending, education, technical assistance, training and support.

“Our new campus will allow us to better serve San Antonio, the state of Texas and some of the most economically challenged areas of the country,” Barrera said.

About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.4 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (www.wellsfargo.com), and has offices in more than 35 countries to support the bank’s customers who conduct business in the global economy. With more than 265,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States.  Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortune’s 2012 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.

About Accion Texas Inc.
Established in 1994 in San Antonio, Accion Texas Inc.’s financial and business-support services help entrepreneurs strengthen their businesses, stabilize and increase their incomes, create employment and contribute to the economic revitalization of their communities. Accion has the nation’s largest microlender portfolio and is committed to providing capital to entrepreneurs who do not have access to loans from commercial sources. Since its inception, Accion has made nearly 13,000 loans totaling more than $130 million. Accion now operates in eight states – Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.    For more information, visit www.acciontexas.org.

Santa is coming to Frost!

By North SA Chamber Editor
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Please join Frost Bank for a holiday Open House, and as a gift you receive a complimentary photo with Santa.

The event will be held Thursday, December 6, 2012 from 4:00 to 7:00pm at the Frost Financial Center located at 16895 Interstate 35 in Schertz, Texas.

Please RSVP to Pam Cox at (210) 220-6204 or pcox@frostbank.com. Hope you can make it and Happy Holidays.

TexStar National Bank announces Ted Cook as Senior Vice President-Lending

By North SA Chamber Editor
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TexStar National Bank has hired Ted Cook as Senior Vice President-Lending. Ted has 37 years of banking experience and will work at business development and lending at the bank’s New Braunfels location in the Rush Enterprises building located at 555 Interstate 35, Suite 100. He comes to TexStar from First Victoria National Bank, formerly First State Bank of New Braunfels.

Learn more about TexStar National Bank