AUSTIN TRUST COMPANY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- President of a. Gary Shilling & Company, Inc
Dr. Shilling is President of A. Gary Shilling & Company, Inc., economic consultants to leading financial institutions, industrial corporations, and is a registered investment advisor. Before establishing the firm in 1978, he was Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of White, Weld & Co., Inc. At twenty-nine years of age, Dr. Shilling set up the economics department of Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith and served as the firm's first Chief Economist. Prior to Merrill, Lynch, he led the U. S. and Canadian economic analysis and forecasting for Standard Oil Co. (N.J.) and was on the staffs of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and Bank of America. He has published numerous articles on the business outlook and has written 8 books on economic forces and investment and business strategies. He received his B. A. in physics magna cum laude (Phi Beta Kappa) from Amherst College and earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University.
Ms. Johnson has over 12 years of experience in account management and administrative support. She is currently pursuing a B.S at Western Governor's University and is a second-generation Texan.
Mrs. Langley received a Bachelor in Business Administration in Finance from St. Edward's University. She has 17 years' experience as a Financial Advisor and earned the Certified Wealth Strategist designation from the Cannon Financial Institute. In her personal time, Mrs. Langley is an avid bee keeper and rollerblader.
Mrs. Presley, a native Houstonian, rejoined Austin Trust Company in 2024 as the Company's first Houston-based Trust Officer. She began her career in Trust Administration in 2010 and had previously worked for Austin Trust Company from 2015-2017 when a family opportunity took her back to her hometown. We stayed connected and patiently waited for technology and opportunity to align and jumped at the chance to bring her back to our team. Mrs. Presley is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, Darla Moore School of Business; earning a B.S. in Business Administration. She has since earned the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation from the Cannon Financial Institute. Mrs. Presley is a member if St. Martin's Episcopal Church and the Junior League of Houston.
Ms. Bates received Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies from Austin Community College in 2014 and has been working within the Trusts and Estate industry since. She joined Austin Trust Company in 2023. Ms. Bates has been a member of the Capital Area Paralegal Association (CAPA) since 2011. In her personal time, she enjoys spending time with her sons.
Job Titles:
- President / Personal Trust
Mr. Remick has over 45 years' experience in trust, having worked in administration, operations and audit for bank trust departments in Texas prior to joining Austin Trust in 1993. He received his B.S. degrees from The University of Arizona and is a graduate of the Southwest Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University. Mr. Remick is a past advisory member of The University of Texas Health Science Center, Crosspoint, Inc., a halfway house located in San Antonio, Texas, and the Salvation Army in South Austin.
Mrs. Adkins received a B.B.A. in Economics from St. Edwards University and began her career in the trust and financial industry in 1993. She joined Austin Trust Company in 2023. Throughout her accomplished career she has worked with many types of trusts but especially focuses on Special Needs Trusts and Court-Created Trusts, including SNTs, 1301s, 142s, guardianships, and conservatorships. In her personal time, Mrs. Adkins enjoys spending time with her family or at her historic family home in New England.
Job Titles:
- Vice President / Personal and Guardianship Trust Administration
Mrs. Byram began working in the trust and financial service industry in 2014 and joined Austin Trust Company in 2019. She has earned the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor designation (CTFA) from the American Bankers Association. Mrs. Byram is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Central Texas. She graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and she is a third generation Texan.
Mrs. Dunn attended Texas Tech University and has years of experience in public relations. She is a member of St.David's Episcopal Church and The Junior League of Austin.
Job Titles:
- Investment Advisor With MPM Wealth Advisors
Mr. Thornhill is an investment advisor with MPM Wealth Advisors, who previously served as President of Thornhill Securities, an independent financial services firm based in Austin, Texas. While working for JP Morgan Investment Management, Houston, TX, as an analyst and fund manager for nearly a decade, he followed financial services companies, technology stocks and ultimately co-managi ng two small cap funds with total assets of $1.8 billion. Prior to JP Morgan, he was a corporate lending officer for national mortgage finance companies with Texas Commerce Bank, Houston, TX. Mr. Thornhill earned his B.A. and M.B.A from The University of Texas at Austin, attended Washington and Lee University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Job Titles:
- Real Estate Investor, Former Production Manager of the Austin American - Statesman
Mr. Brown is a real estate investor, former Production Manager of the Austin American-Statesman, Executive Vice President of Newspapers, Inc. and a member of the Board of Directors of RepublicBank Austin. He has proudly served as President and board member of the Young Men's Business League of Austin and the Balcones Council of Camp Fire Girls as well as Chairman and board member of the Centex Chapter of the American Red Cross. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Region XIII Education Service Center, United Way/Capital Area, West Austin Youth Association, Les Patrons of the Paramount Theatre, Austin Country Club and Headliners Club. He attended Washington & Lee University and received his BBA degree from The University of Texas at Austin.
Ms. Ambrosini began her career in the wealth management industry when she joined Austin Trust Company in 2016. She graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Consumer Affairs. In continuing her education, Ms. Ambrosini has earned the Foundational, Intermediate and Advanced American Bankers Association Wealth and Trust certificates and the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers.
Mr. Welborn received Bachelor of Business Administration in both Accounting and Management from Texas A&M University where he was a member of the 1976 football team. He has over 35 years' experience in strategic planning, accounting/financial operations, governance and entity structure, complex business issues, SEC and SBA compliance, and business risk analysis.
Mr. Greer received his Bachelor of Arts in Government, Minor in Economics, from the University of Texas at Austin. He went on to obtain a Master of Science in Personal Financial Planning and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas Tech University. Going even further, Mr. Greer earned the Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation. He joined Austin Trust Company in 2023. In his spare time he enjoys working on the ranch, that has been in his family for nearly 100 years, with his two Blue Lacies; Colt and Raider.
Mrs. Vernon began her career in the trust and financial services industry when she joined Austin Trust Company in 2017. She has earned the Foundational and Intermediate American Bankers Association Wealth and Trust certificates and is currently pursuing the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation from the American Bankers Association. Mrs. Vernon graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in English and is an active member of the Longhorn Alumni Band.
With an extensive background in real estate development in the Austin area, Mr. Miller also manages oil and gas investments in Austin and East Texas. While a quartermaster in the U. S. Army, Mr. Miller served several tours of duty in Vietnam. Born in Austin, he graduated from St. Edward's University with a degree in business in addition to his graduate work in business economics at Claremont College and in economics at Southern Methodist University.
Mr. Somandar began his career in oil & gas, and mineral asset management when joining Austin Trust Company in 2015. A proud native Austinite, Mr. Somandar earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Texas at Austin and is a member of the National Association of Royalty Owners.
Ms. Talbott joined Austin Trust Company in 2023 after previously serving 15 years in the childcare industry; working her way to Director. Although Laura was born and raised in the UK, where she completed her BA with honors in Sociology with a focus on Education, she got to Texas as fast as she could. After extensive travel, she settled in Texas in 2014 with her husband. Laura is a strong advocate for children's access to education, books and developmentally appropriate experiences and is very proud to have recently received her dual UK/USA citizenship!
Ms. Osborne received her B.S. from Texas Tech University in Chemistry with a minor in Classics. She has 10 years' experience as a manufacturing chemist and medical device laboratory lead. Ms. Osborne is a native Austinite and big advocate for youth female programs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).
Prior to making Austin home in 1978, Ms. Jones worked in broadcasting in Texas and California, and she is a Past President of The Settlement Club of Austin which operates a residential treatment center plus foster family and adoption program for abused and neglected children. Ms. Jones is a member of both The Blanton Museum of Art Advisory Council and the Advisory Council of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin. She is a member of the Board of Visitors at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, and a board member of both the Texas Democracy Foundation and the Advisory Board of Greenlights for Non-Profit Success. Ms. Jones received her B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin.
Ms. Valykeo joined Austin Trust Company in 2022 and coordinates the storage and organization of physical records. She has been a proud Austinite since 2004. She is an international traveler and frequently visits India.
Mr. Schroeder has over 17 years of experience in investments and finance. He has earned the designations of CFA from the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute and CFP® from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. and is a graduate of the Texas Bankers Association Trust Schools I & II. Mr. Schroeder is currently a member of the Charter Financial Analyst Society of Austin, the Financial Planning Association of Austin and the Texas School for the Deaf Foundation Advisory Board. He is also a volunteer member of the Watch D.O.G.S. program with his daughter's elementary school. He received a B.B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin.
Mrs. Lauterbach has called Austin home since 1988 and is a licensed CPA in the state of Texas. Having worked for local investment counseling firm, Terry McDaniel & Company, and local CPA firm, Flieller, Kruger & Skelton, she has valuable experience serving the needs of high-net-worth families and their closely held entities and trusts. Active in community and professional activities, she and her husband have been involved with the Junior League of Austin, Special Olympics Texas, Austin Young Chamber of Commerce and are members of both the American Institute of CPAs and the Texas Society of CPAs. She started her career at international accounting firm Ernst & Young after obtaining both a B.B.A. in Business Honors/Accounting and a Masters in Professional Accounting from the University of Texas' McCombs School of Business.
Mr. Forbes has practiced law in Austin since 1975. He is a member of the Austin Bar Association, The State Bar of Texas and the American Bar Association. Mr. Forbes is a Director of the Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas and a member of the Austin Area Research Organization. He served three terms on the Board of Trustees of Southwestern University in Georgetown and was honored by the Southwestern University Alumni Association with a "Citation of Merit" in 1996. He was formerly Chair of Leadership Austin. He received a B.A. from Southwestern University and a J.D. from the Baylor University School of Law.
Ms. Cruz joined Austin Trust Company in 2022 and has over a decade of experience in Administrative Support. She has been a proud Austinite since 1990 where she studied at St. Edward's University. She enjoys practicing and learning more about fitness and nutrition.
Mr. Hudspeth served as Chairman of the Board and actively managed a book of accounts until his passing in 2021. His ingenuity, integrity and faithful service to his clients will remain the bedrock of our company's foundation.
Job Titles:
- Advisory Director
- Owner and President of Foodservice Management Systems, Inc
Mr. Boone is the Owner and President of Foodservice Management Systems, Inc., a full-service management company that provides operations, accounting, and marketing services to over seventy-five restaurants including multiple Gatti's Pizza locations. He is also involved with Mr. Gatti's, Inc., the largest franchisee in terms of number of stores and total revenues. Since 1994, Mr. Boone and Foodservice Management Systems, Inc. have been the pioneers in developing the GattiLand/GattiTown "big box" concept with over 16 store openings to date. Prior to Foodservice Management Systems, Mr. Boone was with Frostex Foods, Inc., an Austin-based food distributor, where he served as Owner and President until the business was sold to Kraft in 1987. During his involvement with the company, revenues increased from $10 million to $120 million in sales. Mr. Boone served as Director of the National Frozen Food Association and was a board member of the Austin Chamber of Commerce. He was also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Institutional Distribution Magazine, and was appointed by President Carter to the White House Conference of Small Business, Mr. Boone is an attorney and CPA having received his B.B.A. and J.D. degrees from The University of Texas at Austin. Following graduation, he served in the U.S. Air Force reaching the rank of 1st Lt. Employment at Ernst and Young in San Antonio and McGinnis, Lochridge & Kilgore, LLP in Austin.
Ms. Kim began her career in trust operations when she joined Austin Trust Company in 2021. She graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice. She will be pursuing the Certified Trust Operations Professional designation from the Cannon Financial Institute. She enjoys exercise, reading and is bilingual.