PNC Bank, N.A. announced regional leadership appointments across the state of Texas, where PNC now ranks fourth in deposit market share with its acquisition of BBVA USA. Completion of the acquisition was announced June 1, with PNC emerging as the fifth-largest U.S. commercial banking organization with more than $560 billion in assets and a coast-to-coast presence in 29 of the 30 largest markets in the country.

As part of its national expansion efforts, PNC formally expanded into Texas in 2017 first in North Texas then in Houston in 2018. While these initial efforts focused on Corporate Banking, the bank quickly followed with the expansion of its Retail Bank business, which included a robust ATM strategy and the opening of brick-and-mortar retail locations, called Solution Centers. Additionally, PNC opened a 60,000 square foot Customer Care Center in New Braunfels, TX,  in 2020 to ensure customers across the bank’s expanded footprint had access to customer service resources.   

With the acquisition of BBVA USA, PNC is further expanding its regional model across Texas, including the appointment of eight new executives, which complements the existing PNC leadership in the state. These leaders will be responsible for driving business and growth in the combined organization, providing customers and clients in the market with access to PNC’s industry-leading technology, and a full range of innovative products and capabilities through PNC’s Main Street Bank approach. Additionally, these leaders are responsible for delivering on the bank’s commitment to supporting their respective local communities focused on PNC’s philanthropic priorities, which include early childhood education, social justice and racial equity and economic development.

“At PNC, we take pride in our Main Street bank model, and our market leadership teams are where PNC meets Main Street,” said Louis R. Cestello, Executive Vice President and head of PNC’s Regional Markets. “Our local delivery of products, services and expertise guides everything we do to support our customers and the community, and has ultimately led to PNC’s success in existing markets, North Texas and Houston. The state of Texas has one of the strongest economies in the world with incredible population growth, and we are proud to become a bigger part of its continued growth story.”

The Texas market leadership teams include:

• Dillan Knudson, PNC Regional President and head of Commercial Banking for Austin, formerly Houston market CEO for BBVA USA;
• Hector Villegas, Market Executive for El Paso, formerly City President for El Paso for BBVA USA;
• Julie Sudduth, PNC Regional President for Houston, who currently serves in this role for PNC;
• Brendan McGuire, PNC Regional President for North Texas, who currently serves in this role for PNC;
• Juan Loya, Market Executive for the Rio Grande Valley area, formerly City President for Brownsville for BBVA USA;
• Ricky Maldonado, PNC Regional President and head of Commercial Banking for San Antonio, formerly Commercial Banking Market Executive for BBVA USA;
• Larry Franco, Southwest Retail Branch Executive, formerly head of the Retail Network for BBVA USA;
• Susana Melendez-Valencia, PNC Regional President and head of Commercial Banking for Texas Border market, formerly Texas Border and Gulf Coast CEO for BBVA USA;
• Brian Thomas, Texas Regional Managing Director for PNC Wealth Management, formerly Global Director of Client Development for Northern Trust;
• William Smith, Texas Regional Market Leader for Commercial Banking, formerly the Western Carolinas Commercial Banking market leader for PNC; and
• Chris Whitis, Corporate Banking Regional Executive for Texas and the Southeast, who currently serves in this role for PNC.

In addition to these executives, veteran banker and longstanding PNC executive Dale Klose is relocating to Fort Worth to serve in his role as Southwest and Mountain territory executive for PNC’s regional president organization, where he will oversee all PNC markets in Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and New Mexico. In addition to this role, he will coordinate efforts with market leadership and locally based Fort Worth bankers to provide customers and clients with access to PNC’s full range of products and capabilities, as well as strong community support.

Together, these executives will lead PNC’s growth in the state by continuing to build on the strong foundation already in place through their work with PNC and BBVA USA. Specifically, they will further drive the expansion of PNC’s retail presence throughout the state, as they leverage BBVA USA’s existing retail footprint in Texas. They also will develop and grow existing relationships from both institutions in Corporate and Commercial Banking, while bringing the full depth and breadth of PNC’s financial services ecosystem to Texas. This includes local teams to support clients across all of PNC’s lines of business and specialty offerings including, PNC Treasury Management, PNC Equipment Finance, and PNC Healthcare, among others. Additionally, PNC will be introducing its Wealth Management capabilities across the state to more fully support existing and prospective wealth clients in Texas.

In support of its communities and in connection with its acquisition of BBVA USA, PNC recently announced a Community Benefits Plan to provide $88 billion in loans, investments and other financial support to create economic opportunity for low- and moderate-income (LMI) individuals and communities, people and communities of color, and other underserved individuals and communities. This four-year plan will be largely carried out at a local level by PNC’s Community Development Banking teams in all its markets across its now-expanded national footprint.