Security State Bank & Trust, the $2.2 billion Texas community bank founded in 1941, has named Tish Perez as President and member of the Board of Directors, marking a historic milestone as she becomes the first woman to hold either position in the institution's 85-year history. The announcement comes as the Fredericksburg-based bank charts its next chapter of growth across Central and North Texas, with plans to expand into Johnson City, Fort Worth and Weatherford.
Perez, who has spent her entire 27-year banking career at Security State Bank & Trust, was promoted internally from her previous role as Chief Lending Officer. She will assume responsibility for overseeing Operations, Marketing, Credit, Treasury Solutions, Lending and the Branch Network across the institution's 18 locations. Dan Kemp remains Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, maintaining broader strategic leadership. The appointment reflects the bank's commitment to developing leaders from within; no external search firm was involved in the decision. "Tish has consistently demonstrated the leadership, vision and dedication that define SSB&T," Kemp said in a statement, citing her integrity and strategic perspective.
Perez rose through the ranks during her tenure, serving previously as Regional President (overseeing six branches), Branch President and Senior Vice President. Her background centers on lending portfolio management and relationship building. She earned her business degree from San Antonio College and has built deep roots in the Texas Hill Country banking community. Colleagues describe her as accessible, strategic and deeply committed to both the institution and the communities it serves. Her appointment comes shortly after she was described as leading with a relationship-driven approach aligned with the bank's core values.
Security State Bank & Trust operates as a privately held community bank serving 11 Texas counties across the Hill Country, Central Texas and North Texas regions. The bank was founded in 1941 in what had been the Buckhorn Saloon on Main Street in Fredericksburg. With $2.2 billion in assets and 201 to 500 employees, SSB&T offers comprehensive personal and business banking services, including mortgages, wealth management, treasury solutions and trust services. The institution survived the Great Depression, multiple recessions and the pandemic while maintaining its original ownership structure and commitment to local decision-making. The bank has shown resilience recently, raising $550,000 in community flood relief funds in 2025 after devastating July floods affected the Hill Country region.
The promotion reflects broader industry trends toward internal succession planning and gender diversity in community bank leadership, sectors where women have historically held limited executive and board roles. By elevating Perez, Security State Bank & Trust signals confidence in developing homegrown talent rather than recruiting external executives, a strategy many regional banks employ to preserve institutional culture during generational transitions. The timing, coinciding with the bank's 85th anniversary year, suggests leadership intended the move as a symbolic marking of continuity paired with evolution. Her ascension to the presidency while Kemp remains as chairman and CEO creates a clear operational hierarchy that may position Perez for the chief executive role in future succession planning.
