Capital One Bank announced that longtime bank executive Jim Nicholas has joined the company as Houston market president and commercial market manager for Houston.

In his role as Houston Market President, Nicholas is responsible for the design, development and implementation of an integrated community strategy for Capital One Bank in greater Houston.

"Through their hands-on knowledge and internal and external networks, our Market Presidents help to connect Capital One's resources with community needs to strengthen each community in our footprint and, as a result, bolster our business," said Capital One South central regional president Sanjiv Yajnik. "They play a critical role in ensuring that Capital One lives up to its promise of Investing for Good in the communities we serve."

As the senior vice president in charge of Middle Market Banking in Houston, Nicholas leads a team of commercial bankers who are responsible for the bank's full range of commercial products and services.

Nicholas most recently served as senior vice president in Middle Market Banking at JPMorgan Chase Bank. Prior to joining Capital One Bank, he worked for JPMorgan Chase and predecessor banks in Houston his entire career. He served in several capacities, including manager of the Credit Division and, later, managing director and head of the Energy Group and executive vice president of the Corporate Lending Group in Texas in 1997. He was a Middle Market Banking team leader for JPMorgan Chase for the past 14 years.

"As a company, we understand that banking is a relationship-focused business. Whether we're working to meet the needs of a community, a business or a consumer, relationships and personalized service are key," said Kent Eastman, Capital One Bank's Texas State president and head of Middle Market Commercial Banking for Texas. "Jim's breadth of experience and expertise in Middle Market Banking, along with his knowledge of the Houston market, make him an excellent choice to serve as Houston Commercial Market Manager."

Throughout his career, Nicholas has demonstrated a passion for improving the communities in which he has lived and worked. "I'm very pleased that, in addition to his commercial-banking responsibilities, Jim will assume the role of Houston Market president for Capital One Bank," said Eastman. "I wish to thank Annella Metoyer for her many years of dedicated and effective leadership as our local president. Although she will no longer serve in that role, we are pleased that she will continue to serve as the bank's local distribution executive for South and Central Texas and Southwest Louisiana."

Nicholas previously served on the board of directors of the March of Dimes, Junior Achievement and Golfers Against Cancer in Houston.