Business digest: Southside announces new board members, promotion
Published 10:40 pm Monday, October 20, 2025
Keith M. Donahoe, Jeb W. Jones and Raymond C. McKinney have been selected to serve as members of the boards of Southside Bancshares and Southside Bank effective Nov. 15. In addition, Mitchell Craddock was named chief operating officer of both organizations, effective after the retirement of current Southside COO Brian K. McCabe on Nov. 14.
“We are excited that Mitchell will be at the helm of operations following Brian’s incredible career here at Southside,” said Lee Gibson, Southside Bank CEO. “Mitchell’s contributions to Southside, even in his short time back at the bank, have complemented Brian’s remarkable leadership.”
Jones is the CEO of Pro Star Rental, a multi-site equipment rental company in Texas, a spin-off of the Cassity Jones Companies in 2015 through Pro Star Capital LP, in which he serves as president and general partner. Before that spin off, he served as the COO of the Cassity Jones Companies, a portfolio of real estate supply and service companies, from 2009-15.
McKinney is CEO and president of The Genecov Group, a real estate and oil and gas investment company in Tyler, a position he has held since 2016. Before joining the Genecov Group in 2015, he served as a partner at Gollob Morgan Peddy, and East Texas public accounting firm.
Craddock has served as executive vice president and associate chief operations officer of the bank since joining it in August 2024. Craddock previously served at Q2, a digital banking solutions company, from 2011-24, and most recently as vice president of Premier Solutions at Q2.
SBDC sets government contracting webinars
The UT Tyler-Longview Small Business Development Center is holding two free webinars on government contracting.
“There is a dearth of government contracting activity in our region involving our local small businesses,” the center said in a statement. “In order to educate our entrepreneurs and small business owners, the Longview SBDC is hosting two free webinars ….”
The first one, “Government Contracting 101 For Beginners,” is 3-5 p.m. Oct. 23. The second, “Taking Government Contracting to the Next Level” is 3-5 p.m. Oct. 30. The webinar will feature Henry Vinson, an expert and author in government contracting.
Register at tinyurl.com/ubbeekfk.
Abbott appoints Hallsville resident to state board
Gov. Greg Abbott has named Dr. Eric Anderson of Hallsville to the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists.
Anderson is president of Mitigation Resources of North America and is certified in soil science by the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists. He is a member of the Ecological Restoration Business Association and the James F. Taylor Masonic Lodge 169. Anderson received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Master of Science in Forestry from Stephen F. Austin State University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Soil Science from North Carolina State University.
Donation goes to Miracle League in Longview
Tidal Wave Auto Spa’s annual Charity Day event, held Sept. 19 in Longview, raised $1,102 for Miracle League of East Texas, a nonprofit organization dedicated to removing the barriers that keep people with mental and physical disabilities off the baseball field.
The funds raised this year for Miracle League of East Texas will help provide scholarships to athletes who may otherwise not be able to participate.
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