Vista Bank Announces New Fort Worth Market President

Vista Bank named a new president for its Fort Worth market, Cushman and Wakefield announced a new hire, and Governor Greg Abbott named a new chair of the Texas Real Estate Commission.

The 107-year-old Vista Bank announced last week that it had hired Fort Worth banking veteran Grant James to head its market there, where he will serve as president.

James has 40 years of industry experience and is a graduate of TCU. His role will include leading a team of bankers there, growing market share through retail and commercial business development, and establishing brand awareness.

“Vista Bank has been focused on growing our presence in the thriving city of Fort Worth over the past several years,” noted Vista Bank President and CEO, John D. Steinmetz. “An experienced and well-respected banker in the Fort Worth community, Grant James is a strategic addition to our leadership team and we are excited to have him.”

James will office at Vista’s Fort Worth location, 1300 Summit Ave.

“As my banking career has progressed over the last 40 years, I’ve become a firm believer in the community banking model,” noted James. “Even in our busy world, each of us has a desire for some degree of personalized attention – in a word, ‘hospitality.’ By delivering traditional banking services with a focus on hospitality, we intend to create unique experiences that clients will feel compelled to share with friends and family.”

Real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield announced that Ching-Ting Wang joined the Dallas office as research director last week. She was most recently senior research manager for CoStar Group in Richmond, Virginia. Prior to that, she was a research director at National Property Valuation Advisors.

She has a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in economic policy and finance from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Chicago. 

At Cushman & Wakefield, Wang will manage all the firm’s research activities in Dallas, and lead the research team as they monitor and analyze commercial real estate activity and trends.

“We are excited to have Ching-Ting Wang join our West Region Research Team,” said Konrad Knutsen, Vice President of Research Operations for the Americas and West Region Research Lead for Cushman & Wakefield. “Her background and skills will greatly enhance our research coverage in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and enhance our thought-leadership depth in the state of Texas.”

”This is a critically important role, and we could not be more excited to have Ching-Ting’s leadership, energy and experience,” said Ran Holman, Managing Principal of Cushman & Wakefield. “She will make an immediate impact.”

“I am thrilled to join an industry leader like Cushman & Wakefield and be part of the amazing Dallas team,” Wang said. “The role embodies everything I enjoy about the industry—research and analytics centered on providing clients the best information and service possible. Best of all, the role brings me back home to Dallas.”

Scott Kesner of El Paso was tapped by Gov. Greg Abbott to be chair of the Texas Real Estate Commission, the agency announced. The appointment was approved by the Texas Senate last month.

Kesner, the broker and owner of Century 21 The Edge, was named Realtor of the Year by the Greater El Paso Association of Realtors in 2003 and 2016. He served as the chairman of Texas Realtors 2015, and has chaired or served on more than a dozen committees and task forces for Texas Realtors. He has also served as a director on the National Association of Realtors board of directors for six of the last eight years.