Craig ScheefTexas Security Bank
Craig Scheef Co-Founded Texas Security Bank in 2008 and serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. He oversees and manages each department to ensure that the bank lives up to its mission - Elevating the Champions of Free Enterprise.
When the opportunity arose to create Texas Security Bank, Scheef knew that he wanted to focus on a grossly underserved market, owner-managed businesses. An entrepreneur at his core, Scheef, along with a trusted group of Dallas businesspeople, began writing a business plan, obtaining regulatory approval, and raising capital to start an independent bank. In May 2008, Texas Security Bank began operations with $26.5 million in new capital, which included Scheef’s life savings. Today, Texas Security Bank is a profitable independent bank with four locations and assets totaling $1.3 billion. Under Scheef’s leadership, the bank is ranked as one of the healthiest banks in the country annually.
Prior to starting Texas Security Bank, Scheef was at Bank of Texas, a subsidiary of BOK Financial, where he served in multiple positions including President of Business Banking, where he was responsible for managing seven community banks in Dallas and Houston, as well as Community Bank President of the Swiss Avenue location. He also served as Vice President and Loan Team Leader of First Interstate Bank, a predecessor to Wells Fargo Bank where he managed a team of middle-market lenders.
Scheef has been recognized and honored by multiple organizations throughout his career. He is the recipient of the Milam Award which is presented annually to a distinguished ECU football alumnus who has excelled in his chosen vocation, ECU’s Distinguished Service Award, Entrepreneur of the Year Award from ECU’s Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business, and as a Distinguished Alumnus of East Central University. Craig has been featured in the Dallas Business Journal and Dallas Innovates for Texas Security Bank’s efforts with PPP lending. Further, Craig was featured in D Magazine as a 2021 Innovation in Finance honoree.
Scheef earned his BBA degree in marketing at East Central University (ECU) and an MBA in finance from The University of North Texas (UNT). He graduated with high honors from UNT and ranked in the top five percent of his graduating class. Texas Security Bank’s support during the PPP loan application process resulted in recognition as a 2021 Silver Stevie Award Winner for Sales and Customer Service, as well as a 2021 All-Star Winner from the National Customer Service Association. The bank has also been recognized as a five-year certified best workplace by the Best Workplace Institute, a Best Places to work by the Dallas Business Journal, voted three-year Dallas Morning News Best Bank, DCEO Outstanding Finance Team, has a 5-Star Bauer Rating, and has a Net Promoter Score of 86.7 (banking benchmark average is 30).