The Bank Note - June 2020
Connecting with Shareholders of Alliance Bank Central Texas
June 2020
Message from Todd Moore
As U.S. Surgeon General during the Obama administration, Dr. Vivek Murthy grappled with issues like the opioid crisis, violence and rising rates of mental illness and obesity. Contributing to all of these problems, he argues, is loneliness. And, according to a 2020 Cigna survey, loneliness on the rise. Their survey found that 61% of Americans are lonely, up from 54% in 2018. Research tells us over and over that healthy personal relationships are a key component of our overall happiness in life.
Dr. Godfrey offers practical advice on ways to continue or improve our social lives during a crisis. For your team here at the bank, reaching out to existing and potential customers during these times has been extremely beneficial to the bank and to our personal well-being. I hope you will contact me, or anyone else here at the bank, if we can help you with anything, banking or otherwise.
If you have ever been a part of a family owned and run business, or know someone who has, you know it can be both terribly challenging and yet rewarding at the same time. In the Business Spotlight, the Salazar family is a great success story. Please give them a try at Mi Casita in Hewitt if you have not already. Their hard work and great customer service inspires us to be better bankers!
The 20 Questions feature this month highlights one of our home grown talent success stories. James joined us right out of college and has made a huge impact on the bank over the last 10 years. As the bank’s loan review and credit administration officer, James is charged with monitoring and grading our loan portfolio. It is a big job and he is up to the task. James has wisdom “beyond his years” and is highly respected by our entire lending team and loan committee members. We are very fortunate to have him on our team. Way to go, James! And, I agree with you on the movie choice
Todd Moore
President & CEO
Cell Phone: 254.722.2300
20 Questions in 60 Seconds with James Schroeder
James Schroeder was born in Waco, raised in West, and now calls Waco home again. He is a graduate of West High School and earned a BS in Accounting from the University of North Texas. He has spent his banking career with the Alliance team, starting as a credit analyst in 2009. He understands the importance of making each customer feel uniquely valued, and he has poured that approach into his work of helping individuals complete PPP loan applications. Read below to learn about what keeps him motivated each day, how his experience with a rare childhood health issue is used to help inspire and motivate others, and more.
When did you join the Alliance team? A longtime bank customer referred me to Alliance about 10 years ago. I joined the team in October 2009.
What roles have you held at Alliance, including current position/title? Credit Analyst, Credit Department Manager, Assistant Vice President / Credit Administration Officer
What motivates you to wake up and go to work? I have enjoyed being a part of the bank’s journey over the past 10 years; it excites me to continue looking towards the future and be a part of its continued growth and success.
How do you like to motivate others? Show them that they are appreciated.
What do you think is the key to customer service? Making customers feel like they are more than just another customer.
Over the years, what changes have you seen that have most impacted the industry? Increased regulatory requirements.
What would you say is the most important facet of workplace culture? Having respect for the people that you work with.
What is your favorite thing about working at Alliance Bank Central Texas? The people. Everyone genuinely cares about each other.
What’s something most people don’t know about you? Due to a rare childhood health issue that many doctors could not diagnose, my story is featured in a book by an industry leading doctor with the goal of helping others that may be experiencing the same issues.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? Speak another language.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Payoff my house and invest the rest.
What’s your favorite indoor and/or outdoor activity? Golf, fishing, hunting.
What household chore do you absolutely hate doing? Dishes.
Is there a chore you love? No.
If you had not gone into banking, what profession might you have chosen? Probably accounting, but I think I would have grown bored of that.
How do you think people would describe you? Hardworking and honest.
What does a typical Saturday look like? Waking up early and working around the house for the morning and then enjoying the afternoon with my family.
When you send out Christmas cards (and even if you don’t), who would be in the photo? Me, my fiancé Margaret and our two dogs.
All-time favorite movie? The Shawshank Redemption
If you had 30 minutes of free time, how would you pass the time? Margaret and I like to travel, so researching and discussing new places to go and things to do.
Noteworthy - Mi Casita
Mi Casita
1520 Hewitt Dr B, Waco, TX 76712
Owners: Teresa Leon de Salazar and Jose Salazar
If you haven’t yet visited Mi Casita on Hewitt Drive, the Salazar family invites you take a seat at their table, where the queso is always hot, the chips are crispy, and the fajitas are sizzling. Opening in 2015, the locally owned and operated restaurant has a rich history of family tradition; so when it comes to providing delicious, home-style cooked food in a family friendly environment, some would just say it’s in their DNA!
If you haven’t yet visited Mi Casita on Hewitt Drive, the Salazar family invites you take a seat at their table, where the queso is always hot, the chips are crispy, and the fajitas are sizzling. Opening in 2015, the locally owned and operated restaurant has a rich history of family tradition; so when it comes to providing delicious, home-style cooked food in a family friendly environment, some would just say it’s in their DNA!
When did Mi Casita open and what drew you to the restaurant ownership? Restaurant ownership is a family affair. I [Teresa] have 13 brothers and sisters and six of us own restaurants! Four are here in Waco and two are in Mexico.
What are your flagship menu items? We offer a unique breakfast, lunch and dinner menu with diverse flavors that will tickle a variety of taste buds. Our two customer favorites—the fajita plate and the mini Mexican tacos. As for appetizers, our chili con queso is at top of the list as well.
What makes the customer service experience unique at Mi Casita? This is a family restaurant. My family—my husband and our three sons—value offering customers a family friendly environment through personable and fast service. Not serving alcohol is also part of maintaining a family friendly environment.
What growth or changes has the restaurant seen over the years? We have grown substantially since opening five years ago. It’s been exciting to watch the Woodway and Hewitt community grow, giving us the opportunity to grow alongside it.
Speaking of change, you’ve likely experienced quite a bit over the past few months? Owning a restaurant during a pandemic has definitely been challenging. And like so many other business owners, we’ve had to make some changes. We added family packs to the menu and our drive thru business definitely increased over the last few months. As the city opens back up, we are thrilled to be able to serve our community either through dine-in, carryout or drive thru options.
What keeps you energized about going to work each day? Knowing that my family is making other families happy with good food and service, that makes me happy.
Managing Stress During a Crisis
We are wired to social connection-it's part of our human nature. But what does that look like when we are encouraged to distance ourselves from one another? In part three of Managing Stress During a Crisis, Dr. Godfrey offers tips for caring for emotional and social needs during this time of isolation and social distancing.
Modified Saturday Hours (Bosque Branch)
Saturday walk-in lobby hours at our Bosque location will be closed through August 1. Our drive thru lanes will remain open Saturday 9 a.m. to noon. As always, we are ready to serve you through electronic and mobile tools. Thank you for your patience as we remain steadfast in prioritizing the health and safety of our customers and employees.
Paycheck Protection Program - Resource Center
Whether you received your Paycheck Protection Program loan through us or not, we want to be a resource for you!
1. Click here for recent updates on the Paycheck Protection Program.
3. Contact us at AskAlliance with any questions you might have about PPP loans or forgiveness.
Employee Birthday Celebrations
June Celebrations
Linda Cain (6/17)
Michael Reed (6/20)
Zachary Saathoff (6/21)
July Celebrations
Natalie Smart (7/5)
Heather Lehman (7/9)
Todd Moore (7/14)
Cindy Coronado (7/17)
Valeria Velasquez (7/19)
Dawn Rodarte (7/21)
August Celebrations
Teresa Holcomb (8/4)
Jessica Maxey (8/4)
Fernanda Gonzalez (8/10)
James Perkins (8/12)
Pedro Rangel (8/24)
Lety Coronado (8/27)
About Alliance Bank Central Texas
Alliance Bank Central Texas is a community bank founded by a local board of directors, owned by a diverse group of over 200 shareholders, and operated by seasoned bankers, most of whom have spent their entire careers in Waco. In less than ten years it has seen assets grow from $35 million to over $350 million. The bank is focused on helping entrepreneurs, professionals and residents, and understands the condition of the local market. It feels real value is created through people connecting personally with their bankers, versus simply having transactions with a bank. Alliance Bank Central Texas provides a full range of financial services including business, personal and mortgage loans. It also provides a variety of deposit products and services including commercial, personal and certificates of deposits along with electronic banking, mobile deposit and cash management services.