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Brad Tidwell begins 3-year term as banking advisory chairman

Brad Tidwell, president and CEO of Henderson-based Citizens National Bank, began a three-year term this year as chairman of the Commercial Banking Program Advisory Board at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School, according to Bankers Digest website.

A co-founder of the Commercial Banking Program, Tidwell brings more than 33 years of experience in commercial lending, credit administration and executive management to his chairmanship, according to the website. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and a master’s degree in agricultural finance from Texas A&M University.

In a career that’s included time at Allied Bancshares, JPMorgan Chase and Bank One, in 2008, Tidwell was named president and CEO at Citizens National Bank, according to the website. Since then, the bank has grown from $700 million to more than $2.2 billion in assets.

Shaletha L. Richard Awarded $11,000 Counseling Fellowship

The NBCC Foundation, an affiliate of the National Board for Certified Counselors recently selected Shaletha L. Richard, of Tyler, for the NBCC Minority Fellowship Program-Addictions Counselors. As an NBCC MFP-AC Fellow, Richard will receive funding and training to support her education and facilitate her addictions counseling service to underserved minority transition-age youth, ages 16–25.

The NBCC MFP-AC is made possible by a grant awarded to NBCC by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in September 2014. The Foundation is contracted by NBCC to administer the NBCC MFP-AC, as well as training and collaboration activities, such as webinars, that are open to all National Certified Counselors. The goal of the program is to reduce health disparities and improve behavioral health care outcomes for racially and ethnically diverse populations by increasing the available number of culturally competent behavioral health professionals.

The NBCC MFP will distribute up to $11,000 to Richard and the 33 other master’s-level addictions counseling students selected to receive the fellowship award. Richard is a graduate of The University of Oklahoma in Norman and is currently a master’s student in the clinical mental health counseling program at The University of Texas at Tyler.

Sarah M. Allen Receives Military Scholarship

The NBCC Foundation also recently awarded an $8,000 2018 NBCC Foundation military scholarship to Sarah M. Allen, of Jacksonville. The military scholarship is awarded to service members, veterans and their spouses who are pursuing a counseling education and commit to serving fellow military personnel, veterans and families upon graduation.

The mission of the NBCC Foundation is to leverage the power of counseling by strategically focusing resources for positive change. The military scholarship was created in 2009 to increase access to counselors for military personnel, veterans and families suffering from a shortage of available mental health professionals. More than 40 students from across the country applied for the six 2018 military scholarships.

As a military scholarship recipient, Allen will receive $8,000 to support her counseling education and recognize her commitment to the underserved. Allen is both a student and graduate of The University of Texas at Tyler, where she is currently pursuing a master’s in the clinical mental health counseling program.

Altra Federal Credit Unions Gold Level recipients

Altra Federal Credit Union was recently honored as a Gold Level recipient by the Well Workplace Awards, which recognizes an organization’s commitment to the physical health and well-being of their employees.

The award was presented by the Wellness Council of America, one of the nation’s most-respected resources for building high-performing, healthy workplaces. Award winners must meet the rigid set of worksite wellness criteria known as WELCOA’s Seven Benchmarks of Success. Gold Level recipients initiate a comprehensive program that produces results.

Altra’s Working on Wellness program promotes a healthy lifestyle by having employees and their spouses track a variety of activities. Points are assigned to the various activities and employees are rewarded when certain benchmarks are achieved.

“Altra is proud to be designated as one of America’s healthiest companies,” said Kim Bauer, vice president of Human Resources and creator of Altra’s WOW initiative. “We are committed to helping our employees live their best lives and they have embraced our WOW program by being active participants.”

There are three Altra Federal Credit Unions in Tyler.

HealthFirst TPA adds to leadership roster

HealthFirst TPA, a third-party administrator of self-funded insurance headquartered in Tyler, has hired a new chief operating officer and made several changes to its leadership ranks.

Chief Operating Officer Cindy Klein is responsible for the overall operation of HealthFirst, including strategy, business development, customer success and product development.

She joined the organization in 2017 and has extensive experience in marketing, operations, sales, HR and IT, and has held executive roles at Mentoring Minds and Leadership Tyler.

In addition, Denise Andrew was promoted to director of product management, where she will be responsible for new product development and research. In her new role, Andrew will also help members better manage and understand their health care plans by developing strategic reports and analytics and developing new products to help clients better manage their plan costs. She will be responsible for overseeing compliance and working with vendors to always ensure members have the best products available in the marketplace.

She joined HealthFirst in 2008 as an account executive and has more than 16 years of progressive experience in the self-funded insurance industry, having previously held roles at PPO networks, a claims software company and a large international consulting firm.  

Monica Bauman was promoted to director of plan management. Her responsibilities include overseeing claims processing, fund management, benefits eligibility, customer service, reinsurance and building plans for clients.

She started with HealthFirst in 1998, working in several departments until settling into the fund management department. She’s been a department manager for five years.

Ashley Feistel joined the HealthFirst Team as an account executive. She will be responsible for building relationships with new and existing clients and meeting all their plan needs and to serve as a trusted partner and adviser to all direct clients and brokers.

Feistel comes to HealthFirst from a local education publisher and where she spent five years as a sales manager. Ashley also has experience as a district manager with an international retailer.

Bethany Lefeber, 20-year veteran of HealthFirst, has been promoted to implementation management and Amy Pearson was named new marketing and communications manager for HealthFirst. Pearson has more than 25 years of experience in the communications industry.

Trish Terrell, who has been with HealthFirst since 2014, was promoted to the director of client management, where she will manage the account executive/account management team and oversee communications and marketing. 

HealthFirst was established in Tyler in 1983 and acquired in 1996 by East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System. In 2018, Ardent Health Services, formed a 10-hospital health system including the East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, which included HealthFirst TPA, and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UT Health Northeast) under the auspices of UT Health East Texas.

Restaurateur of the Year

Andrew Gugar has been named 2018 ETRA Restaurateur of the Year.

Gugar began his 43 year career in the restaurant industry in 1971, as a manager for Panchos Mexican Buffet in Corpus Christi.

During his tenure he has created the Hickory Fare Bar BQ brand, opened five Donut Shops and a restaurant equipment and supply business.

He also has 4 Mexican food restaurants, Papacita’s in Longview and Henderson, Mercado’s and Posado’s Cafe in Tyler and currently has 18 stores located throughout East Texas, DFW and Louisiana. His latest restaurant is Happy’s Fish House in Tyler.

In 1988, Gugar became a charter director to create Sacred Path Inc., a nonprofit that provides housing and treatment for adults suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction.

Gugar says “It’s not a job if you love what you do!”

East Texas law firm changing name

The East Texas law firm Siebman, Forrest, Burg & Smith, LLP, is announcing the firm’s new name with the departure of name partner, Larry A. Phillips, and the promotion of firm attorney, Elizabeth Forrest, to name partner.

Phillips was sworn in as judge of the 59th District Court in Grayson County on May 1 following an appointment by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

“Larry Phillips has been my law partner for more than 15 years, and I can think of no one better suited to the role of District Judge,” says firm founder Clyde M. Siebman. “That said, we will certainly miss his experienced counsel around the law office.”

On a personal level, Siebman said he is tremendously proud that his daughter, Forrest, is stepping into her new role as name partner.

“Along with my childhood friend, the late Homer B. Reynolds III, I founded this firm when he and I both were in our early 30’s,” Siebman said. “Elizabeth’s new role signals the start of a new era for our firm. I am proud that our brand of trusted Texas legal counsel endures as our firm commences with its second generation of both partners and clients.”

Ms. Forrest is a former law clerk to Judge Amos Mazzant III of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. She is a member of the board of directors of the Eastern District of Texas Bar Association and she also serves as chairperson of the Association of Women Lawyers of the Eastern District of Texas.

Keller Williams Tyler volunteers with East Texas Food Bank 

Keller Williams Realty-Tyler associates chose to “Give Where They Live” as part of RED Day, Keller Williams’ annual day of service on May 10. The day is dedicated to renewing, energizing and donating to local communities. 

As part of the RED Day effort, Keller Williams Realty – Tyler spent the day with the East Texas Food Bank. The East Texas Food Bank has existed to fight hunger and feed hope in East Texas since 1988. During 2017, this organization provided more than 22.4 million meals, serving nearly 200 partner agencies in 26 East Texas counties.

Since the first RED Day in 2009, Keller Williams associates have given hundreds of thousands of hours of community service through activities ranging from food and blood drives to rebuilding homes and schools for community members in need.