Pub. 14 2017 Issue 3

O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G N E W M E X I C O R E A L I Z E D R E A M S 20 BANKERS ON THE MOVE president for its Las Cruces location. Greg Cory, pres- ident/CEO of Western Heritage Bank, made the an- nouncement. Darden was vice president and market manager at Century Bank in Las Cruces from 2014 until joining Western. She also served as vice president and com- mercial lender at Century from 2011-2014. Darden serves or has served her community with the following organizations: The Greater Las Cruces Cham- ber of Commerce and its Heritage Foundation, the Las Cruces Public School Foundation, and the Memorial Medical Center. Western Heritage Bank is a NM state bank estab- lished in 2001 and a wholly-owned subsidiary of New Mexico First Financial Inc. Western Heritage currently operates locations in Las Cruces and Deming, and will open a location in El Paso in late 2017. “Coons Leaves First National 1870” Michelle Coons, former president of First National Rio Grande and First National Santa Fe, announced re- cently she is no longer affiliated with the banking insti- tution, now known as First National 1870. Coons has over 30 years of experience in the New Mexico banking industry. In 2012, she became Presi- dent of the Bank of the Rio Grande and First National Bank of Santa Fe, the first of several banks acquired by Strategic Growth Bancorp. According to the UNM Foundation, she was the bank’s first woman president since its inception in 1870. “Herrera Top Student at WSSB” Jonathan Herrera, AVP/loan officer at Western Bank in Artesia was recognized as being the top student at the Western States School of Banking. Herrera was a member of the 2017 graduating class of the WSSB and was recognized at the annual graduation banquet June 16 on the campus of Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. Herrera has served with Western Bank since July 2015 and is a graduate of New Mexico and is a graduate of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces where he received a BBA degree in finance and banking. He was named to the Dean’s List at NMSU. “Wells Fargo’s New Mexico Leadership Changes” Wells Fargo recently said that Lisa Riley, who leads its New Mexico market, is taking on a new leadership role in Arizona. The bank said David Hockmuth, who previously served under Riley with Wells Fargo, will serve as the state’s region bank president. Part of that restructuring included Riley accepting a region bank president position for central Arizona that begins immediately, said Mike English, a spokesman for Wells Fargo in New Mexico. Riley, who was formerly New Mexico/Western Bor- der region president for Wells Fargo, has worked for the bank for over 30 years. She came to New Mexico eight years from Arizona. In Arizona, she worked for a community bank called Great Western Bank, which was later acquired by Wells Fargo. Hockmuth, who grew up in Albuquerque, previous- ly served as a greater New Mexico area president with Wells Fargo. He brings over 27 years of banking ex- perience and has managed regional banking teams throughout New Mexico. “We are transforming our culture to be more custom- er and service-focused than ever, and Lisa’s move to Arizona and David’s promotion here in New Mexico are part of that,” English said. “We selected leaders who demonstrated the ability to lead in our new culture of service.” With $8.93 billion in local deposit volume, San Fran- cisco-based Wells Fargo is the largest bank in New Mexico. “Madrid Awarded Graduate Diploma from Graduate School of Banking at LSU” Jonathan Ray Madrid, Southwest Capital Bank, Las Vegas, received his graduate diploma from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University on June 2. The banking school is sponsored by 15 state bankers associations in cooperation with the Division of Con- tinuing Education at LSU. Students traveled from 18 states and Mexico to participate in the 2017 session. n visit us online! www.nmbankers.com www.facebook.com/pages/New-Mexico-Bankers-Association/371559049590485 www.nmbankers.com