Today@Sam Article

Texas Bankers Hall Of Fame Announces 2024 Inductees

Jan. 12, 2024
SHSU Media Contact: Mikah Boyd

Five iconic bankers, James E. Baine, the late Harlan R. Heitkamp, Carmen Jordan, Vidal H. Ramirez and Henry Wu will be recognized on April 25 for their achievements and contributions to their communities and the banking industry. The Texas Bankers Hall of Fame will induct the five honorees at the 11th Annual Texas Bankers Hall of Fame Gala on the campus of Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.

The Texas Bankers Hall of Fame, established by the Smith-Hutson Endowed Chair of Banking at Sam Houston State University recognizes and honors the accomplishments of outstanding bankers who have made valuable contributions to the banking profession and pioneered the Texas banking industry. The honorees have truly made their industry, communities and state better places. The Texas Bankers Hall of Fame began inducting honorees in 2013.

James E. Baine is a recognized and respected community banker who is known for his tenacity, enterprising, creative problem solving and generous spirit. Born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1960, his family returned state-side in 1961, landing in Huntsville, Texas. He launched his banking career at United Bank of Austin and rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the co-owner of three community banks from central to southeast Texas. His goal as a community banker was always to serve the customer first, the bank second and himself-last. Bank directors often described him as “a man of street smarts and book smarts.”  

Baine received his undergraduate degree from Sam Houston State University in 1982 and his MBA from Texas State University in 1984. He began his banking career at United Bank of Austin while pursuing his MBA from Texas State University in San Marcos. He served that organization in many different positions from teller to subsequent branch manager/vice president in 1983.

He then moved into the position of senior vice president of First National Bank in Huntsville, Texas in 1984. Baine left banking in 1988 to establish multiple corporate companies and LLCs for commercial and residential real estate acquisitions. At one time he owned and managed over one million square feet of commercial real estate, more than 30% of the apartment complexes in Huntsville and dozens of homes in Harris, Montgomery and Brazos counties. 

Baine returned to banking in 1996 as he and his business partner, Walter Nelson, negotiated and bought Citizens State Bank in Buffalo, Texas. There he fulfilled the roles of vice chairman, director and senior lending officer. After returning the bank to a highly profitable level Baine and Nelson sold it to Industry State Bank in 1998. He continued to serve as a board member of Citizens State Bank from 1998 to 2004. Baine retired briefly only to acquire another bank charter in 1999 that became the First State Bank of Huntsville with branch locations in Kosse, Itasca and Whitney, Texas. He served as president, CEO and director of the bank. Each branch was later sold to various banking institutions. After Baine survived two major heart attacks in 2010, he and Nelson sold First State Bank of Huntsville to First Financial Bank of Abilene (FFIN), a publicly traded institution. He was an FFIN Board member and paid consultant through 2016. Upon leaving the FFIN Board, he became the largest shareholder and a director of Westbound Bank of Katy. Baine initiated the sale of Westbound Bank to Guaranty Bank and Trust, another publicly traded institution in 2019. He retired from community banking in 2019 yet continues to serve over 2,000 previous customers with private lending needs, estate and life issues.

Today, Baine maintains a real estate and private lending office in Conroe, Texas. He and his wife Jill have been married 40 years and are the parents of two sons, Jamie (deceased) and Stephen, his wife Carly, and one granddaughter, Charlotte.

Harlan Raymond Heitkamp was born in New Braunfels, Texas on November 14, 1938, and passed away on February 6, 2023, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Heitkamp grew up in Bracken, Texas, and graduated from Texas Tech University with a master’s degree in civil engineering. After graduation, Heitkamp moved to Corpus Christi to work for the City of Corpus Christi Department of Engineering. 

After working for the city, Heitkamp formed his own civil engineering firm, Maverick Engineering, with offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Houston. It was during his engineering days that he joined the board of directors for The International Bank of Corpus Christi. It was at that time, that Harlan decided to become more active in the community banking industry. He formed a control group, which purchased five local community banks, that later became known as ValueBank Texas. Harlan stayed involved with the banks until his death. 

One of Heitkamp’s strongest qualities was his commitment to his local community and community banking. He participated in many local charities and his mentorship to these programs lives on today through various memorials. Heitkamp understood the importance of advocating for the community banking industry and did so by serving as chairman of services for The Independent Bankers Association of Texas and in 1997-1998, serving as chairman of the organization. This was an experience that he deeply cherished and took immense pride in.

Another position that he loved was the time he served as chairman for The Independent Bankers Bank. In this position, Heitkamp found some of his greatest friends. The dedication he put into community banking produced many lifelong friendships that brought him great joy.

Heitkamp was passionate, dedicated, thoughtful, kind and believed that nothing is more important than family and friends. These qualities are what made Heitkamp not just a good community banker but a great one. He was well-respected in his community and among his peers as well as his family members. He was a true gentleman and always ready to lend a hand. 

He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Gerry, his son Scott Heitkamp and daughter-in-law Carrie and his grandchildren Hailey and Andrew, which were his pride and joy. Heitkamp built a legacy and one that will live on for generations to come.

Carmen Jordan joined Origin Bank as executive vice president in 2018 and currently serves as regional president for the greater Houston area. She is responsible for ensuring the highest level of credit quality for all segments including commercial and industrial, energy, real estate and private banking, while balancing growth with the appropriate level of risk.  Since her time at Origin Bank, the Houston market has quadrupled loans and doubled deposits while improving overall credit performance and profitability.

Her areas of expertise include merger and acquisition finance and energy service lending. Jordan also serves on Origin’s corporate loan committee covering Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Under her leadership, Origin Bank was awarded the Top 100 Places to Work in 2022 and 2023 by the Houston Chronicle and was recognized as last year’s winner of the Values Award.

Prior to Origin, Jordan served as Houston market president of IBERIABANK. As market president, Jordan guided Iberia’s loan growth in Houston from $400 million to $1.4 billion in five years while navigating the bank through one of the most difficult energy downturns in history.

Jordan served as chief lending officer of Encore Bancshares from 2009 to 2012. In that capacity, she achieved significant growth while also contributing to improving the credit quality of the bank and its regulatory rating, resulting in a stock price appreciation of over 300% in 3 years. 

Jordan began her banking career at First Interstate Bank, completing the retail branch management training program, formal credit training and later following her boss and long-time mentor to Amegy Bank of Texas where she worked for 12 years.

Jordan is a nationally recognized leader in banking. She was named as American Banker Magazine’s Top 50 Women in Banking. She has also received numerous awards for her achievements in diversity, being named one of the Most Powerful and Influential Women in Texas by the National Diversity Council and was included in the Top 15 Business Women of Houston by the National Women’s Council. 

Jordan is actively engaged with her alma mater, Lamar University in Beaumont, where she was recently named as a Distinguished Alumna. She serves on the Advisory Board of the College of Business (formerly as chairperson), the university’s Foundation Board and has established a scholarship for incoming freshman. Jordan currently serves on the board of Nativity Academy, which is a non-tuition based Christian school in Houston serving low-income students. Her previous non-profit involvement includes the Executive Women’s Partnership, Fort Bend County Women’s Chamber of Commerce, the Holocaust Museum Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sisters, as well as the Houston City Club. 

Jordan lives in Sugar Land and has two daughters. She is an active sports enthusiast, playing tennis and soccer, and enjoys boating and traveling.

As a seasoned banking executive and community leader, Vidal H. Ramirez has left an indelible mark on the financial landscape of Houston, Texas. With a career spanning over five decades, Ramirez’s journey has been characterized by transformative leadership, strategic foresight and an unwavering commitment to community development.

Ramirez served as vice chairman and Board Member at Allegiance Bank, Houston, Texas, from 2008 to 2022. He played a key role as an original founding stakeholder of Allegiance Bank in 2007 and was instrumental in steering Allegiance Bank's growth from a de novo operation to possessing $6 billion in assets, culminating in its merger with Community Bank of Texas in 2022 to create Stellar Bank.

Presently, he actively contributes to the successful merger of Allegiance and Community Bank, facilitating the establishment of a joint leadership board within the combined organizations and most recently responsible for the Bank’s Katy, Texas branch office network. 

From 2002 to 2007, Ramirez served as chief executive officer (CEO) at Community Bank where he was responsible for overseeing and managing the Katy office. During his tenure, Ramirez was an integral piece in assisting in the sale of Community Bank to Sterling Bank, upon which time he served as vice chairman of the new Sterling Bank organization. 

His banking career traces back to 1965 when he began at the National Bank of Commerce in Brownsville, Texas, subsequently holding various positions starting from bank teller and continued roles of increasing responsibility, including working at Texas Commerce Bank, River Oaks Bank & Trust, Greater Houston Bank and Unitedbank I-10 West, where he played a pivotal role in its transition to Community Bank.

Ramirez holds an undergraduate degree from Texas Southmost College, Brownsville and a graduate degree from the Southwest Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University. Additionally, he completed the Management Program at Rice University, showcasing his commitment to continued learning.

Beyond his banking career, Ramirez is deeply engaged in community initiatives, currently serving as chairman of the board at Methodist Hospital West and quality control member and benefits community member at Methodist Hospital System. His community involvement extends to his support of education, contributing his expertise as a member of the Steering Committee of Houston Community College - Northwest, the Advisory Committee for Economic Development at the Greater Houston Partnership and member of Literacy Advance of Houston.

A native Texan, born in Brownsville, Texas he and his wife Magda have been married for 57 years. They have two children and five grandchildren.

Henry Wu currently serves as chairman & CEO of AFND Holdings, Inc., a holding company of American First National Bank. Wu also serves as chairman of American First National Bank and works as president for Hugesen Polymer USA, LP; C & W Packaging, LP; and C & W Warehouse, Inc. He was previously the chairman for Texas First National Bank (now Golden Bank) and had worked as president for Hugesen Enterprises, Inc. and General Merchandise, Inc.

Wu was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, married his wife in 1973 and together they have a son, a daughter and four grandchildren. Wu has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Tunghai University in Taiwan and a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Mississippi.

Wu started his first job as chemical engineer at Amoco Oil Company in 1974. In 1977, Wu decided to start his own business and established a trading company named General Merchandise, Inc. Afterward, he established Hugesen Enterprises, Inc. in 1983; C & W Warehouse, Inc. and C & W Packaging, LP in 1993; and Hugesen Polymer USA, LP in 2005.

Wu joined Texas First National Bank as chairman in 1992 and decided to form a new bank under the name of American First National Bank (AFNB) in 1997. AFNB was approved by the regulators on December 21, 1997. Wu and five other organizers raised $15 million of capital in three days and opened American First National Bank for business on May 18, 1998. Wu has been serving as chairman since then.

In 2006, a holding company, AFNB Holdings, Inc. was established; Wu has been serving as chairman & CEO for AFNB Holdings, Inc. from then on. Because of rapidly expanding business, AFNB moved into a state-of-the-art 12-floor building in 2007. In 2011, AFNB acquired First International Bank through an FDIC-assisted program, increasing its assets, expanding its market segment to the state of Nevada and increasing its capital capacity. In 2016, AFNB established two California branches, then expanded deeper into California.

So far, the bank has 21 locations, including 20 branches and one loan production office, located in the states of Texas, Nevada and California. Over the past 25 years, the bank has remained focused on its core values of simplicity, reliability and customer service. As of November 30, 2023, AFNB’s total assets exceed $2.6 billion, and there are 258 employees.

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