Sunflower Bank Strengthens Texas Leadership with the Appointment of Andy Gaines
Sunflower Bank has announced a significant leadership addition as part of its ongoing expansion strategy in Texas, naming Andy Gaines as Regional President for the Houston, Austin, and San Antonio markets. In this role, Gaines is tasked with leading and accelerating the growth of the bank’s middle market commercial banking business across three of the most dynamic and economically important metropolitan areas in the state. His appointment reflects Sunflower Bank’s continued commitment to relationship-driven banking, local decision-making, and long-term investment in the Texas business community.
The role of Regional President places Gaines at the center of Sunflower Bank’s strategic initiatives in these markets, where population growth, business formation, and capital investment continue to create strong demand for sophisticated commercial banking solutions. With responsibility spanning Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, Gaines will focus on deepening client relationships, expanding commercial banking teams, and aligning local market strategies with the bank’s broader national capabilities.
Sunflower Bank’s Relationship-Driven Banking Model
Sunflower Bank operates with a clear and differentiated banking model centered on relationship-driven service and localized decision-making. With approximately $8.5 billion in assets, the bank serves communities across Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington, combining the scale and sophistication of a multi-state institution with the responsiveness of a community-focused bank. This model is designed to empower local bankers to make timely decisions, build trusted relationships, and deliver customized financial solutions that reflect the unique needs of each market.
In addition to its strong regional presence, Sunflower Bank maintains a diversified national platform that includes specialty commercial services and a robust mortgage lending business with capabilities in 43 states. This combination allows the bank to support clients not only at the local level but also as they expand geographically or require more complex financial structures. The appointment of a seasoned commercial banking leader such as Andy Gaines underscores the bank’s intention to fully leverage this model in Texas, where economic growth continues to outpace national averages in many sectors.
Leadership Confidence in Andy Gaines’ Appointment
Sunflower Bank’s executive leadership has expressed strong confidence in Gaines’ ability to lead the next phase of growth in its Texas markets. Bo Scott, Chief Banking Officer at Sunflower Bank, highlighted Gaines’ proven leadership capabilities and relationship-focused approach as key reasons for his appointment. Scott emphasized that Gaines’ experience in building high-performing teams and fostering meaningful connections across diverse business communities aligns closely with the bank’s vision for sustainable growth.
This leadership endorsement reflects the strategic importance of the Houston, Austin, and San Antonio markets within Sunflower Bank’s overall footprint. Each of these cities represents a unique economic ecosystem, ranging from Houston’s energy, healthcare, and logistics sectors to Austin’s technology-driven economy and San Antonio’s blend of manufacturing, military, healthcare, and tourism industries. Successfully leading across these markets requires both broad strategic insight and a deep understanding of local business dynamics, qualities that Sunflower Bank believes Gaines brings to the role.
Andy Gaines’ Professional Background and Experience
Andy Gaines joins Sunflower Bank with more than 15 years of experience in commercial and corporate banking, bringing a strong track record of leadership in the Texas Gulf Coast region. Over the course of his career, Gaines has been closely involved in building and managing middle market banking teams, developing growth strategies, and supporting clients across a wide range of industries. His professional experience has equipped him with a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing middle market businesses, particularly in fast-growing and highly competitive markets.
Most recently, Gaines served as Regional Executive of Middle Market Banking at a Houston-based regional community bank, where he led strategic growth initiatives and oversaw the expansion of commercial banking operations. In that role, he was responsible for driving portfolio growth, enhancing client relationships, and building teams capable of delivering comprehensive financial solutions. His success in that position demonstrated his ability to balance growth objectives with sound risk management and a strong client-first philosophy.
Gaines holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Christian University, an academic background that complements his professional experience and deep ties to the Texas business community. He is based at Sunflower Bank’s Houston corporate office, positioning him at the heart of one of the region’s most important economic centers and enabling close collaboration with local teams across all three markets under his leadership.
A Shared Vision for Growth in Texas Markets
In accepting his new role, Gaines expressed strong enthusiasm for Sunflower Bank’s strategic direction and growth potential in Texas. He noted that the bank is uniquely positioned to capitalize on opportunities across Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, given its deep-rooted expertise in middle market and commercial banking. Gaines emphasized that Sunflower Bank’s relationship-driven approach aligns closely with his own professional values and passion for supporting the growth of vibrant business communities.
This shared vision is particularly important in a competitive banking environment where clients increasingly seek partners who understand their businesses and can offer tailored solutions rather than standardized products. Gaines’ leadership is expected to reinforce Sunflower Bank’s reputation as a trusted advisor to middle market companies, providing not only capital but also strategic insight, industry knowledge, and long-term partnership.
Expanding Commercial Banking Talent in Houston
The appointment of Andy Gaines is part of a broader effort by Sunflower Bank to strengthen its commercial banking teams in Texas, particularly in the Houston market. To support its growth plans, the bank has also recently hired Christine Dobbins as Commercial Banking Team Lead and Malia Willis as Commercial Relationship Manager. Both professionals bring extensive experience in commercial banking and possess deep knowledge of the Houston economy, making them valuable additions to the local team.
These hires reflect Sunflower Bank’s recognition that successful expansion depends not only on senior leadership but also on building strong teams at every level. By investing in experienced commercial bankers with local expertise, the bank aims to deliver consistent, high-quality service to its clients while scaling its operations to meet increasing demand. Expanding the commercial banking teams in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio has been identified as a top priority for 2026, signaling a sustained commitment to growth rather than a short-term initiative.
Building on Momentum from the Pioneer Bank Merger
Sunflower Bank’s expanded presence in Texas can be traced in part to its April 2022 merger with Pioneer Bank, a transaction that significantly strengthened its footprint in the state. Following the merger, Sunflower Bank established its Texas headquarters in Dallas and now operates twenty-two locations across the state. These locations provide a full suite of financial services, including commercial and business banking, treasury management, personal banking, mortgage lending, private banking, and wealth management, all delivered by local teams with market-specific expertise.
The integration of Pioneer Bank has allowed Sunflower Bank to combine local market knowledge with broader institutional resources, creating a platform capable of supporting businesses and individuals at every stage of growth. The appointment of a Regional President overseeing Houston, Austin, and San Antonio represents a natural evolution of this strategy, ensuring that leadership structure keeps pace with the bank’s expanded scale and ambitions in Texas.
Comprehensive Banking Services for Diverse Texas Economies
Houston, Austin, and San Antonio each present distinct opportunities and challenges, requiring a flexible and comprehensive approach to banking services. Sunflower Bank’s ability to offer integrated solutions across commercial banking, treasury management, and wealth services positions it well to serve the diverse needs of these markets. From energy companies and healthcare systems in Houston to technology startups and venture-backed firms in Austin, and manufacturing and service-based businesses in San Antonio, the bank’s platform is designed to adapt to a wide range of client profiles.
Under Gaines’ leadership, Sunflower Bank is expected to further align its product offerings with the specific needs of each market while maintaining consistent service standards across the region. This includes leveraging national specialty commercial services and mortgage lending capabilities where appropriate, while preserving the local decision-making authority that clients value. Such an approach enables the bank to compete effectively with both large national institutions and smaller community banks.
Focus on Middle Market Banking Excellence
Middle market companies represent a core focus for Sunflower Bank, and Gaines’ appointment reinforces this strategic priority. These businesses often require more sophisticated financial solutions than small enterprises but still value personalized service and direct access to decision-makers. Sunflower Bank’s relationship-driven model is particularly well-suited to this segment, allowing bankers to develop a deep understanding of each client’s operations, growth plans, and financial objectives.
Gaines’ extensive experience in middle market banking positions him to further refine and expand this offering across Texas. By building high-performing teams and fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability, he is expected to drive both organic growth and deeper client engagement. This focus on excellence in middle market banking is likely to be a key differentiator as Sunflower Bank continues to expand its presence in competitive Texas markets.
About Sunflower Bank
With $8.5 billion in assets as of September 30, 2025, bank headquarters in Dallas, TX, 71 licensed branches in seven states, and mortgage capabilities in 43 states, Sunflower Bank, N.A. provides a full range of relationship-focused services to meet personal, business and wealth management financial objectives. FirstSun Capital Bancorp (Nasdaq: FSUN) is the financial holding company for Sunflower Bank, N.A. and is headquartered in Denver, CO. First National 1870 is a division of Sunflower Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
