Star of the Month - June 2023 - Kayla Martinez

Nominated for her ability to share information and knowledge with those around her, this month’s Star also has several other stand out qualities.  Stanley McChrystal, former commander of U.S. and International forces in Afghanistan, said, “You find that information is only of value if you give it to people who have the ability to do something with it.  The fact that I know something has zero value if I’m not the person who can actually make something better because of it . . . instead of knowledge is power . . . sharing is power.”  For her willingness to share and dedication to leading well, we are proud to recognize Kayla Martinez, Teller Operations Supervisor at the Longview Loop office, as our June Star of the Month.

Kayla joined Austin Bank in March 2021 as a teller in the Kilgore office.  She brought with her several years’ experience in leadership and management from other industries.  Moving to her current role in 2022, Kayla’s meticulous attention to her duties and dedicated work ethic garnered the attention of area leadership.  Now in addition to her daily duties as the Teller Operations Supervisor for the Longview Loop office, she also trains all new tellers for the region.  Coworker, Kimberly Hollis, shares, “Kayla makes sure that the people she trains have everything they need to go back to their office ready.  She goes into so much detail, and has trained so many people back to back, that I listen to her and think ‘I wish I had a trainer like her’.”   Working daily under Kayla’s leadership, Kimberly also shares that she is easy to talk to as a supervisor and works to provide the support her tellers need to do their jobs well.  Consistently going beyond the typical scope of work, Kayla models dependability, dedication to her job and teamwork to all whose paths she crosses. 

Residents of Longview, Kayla and her husband, Daniel, love to travel and spend time with family.  They are members of Life Bridge Christian Center where they are both part of the music ministry.  Kayla is a graduate of Longview High School as well as Kilgore College, and serves as a Mentor in the bank’s mentorship program.

“Kayla has an exceptional work ethic and great interpersonal skills!  She is a great model of leadership by example, and I am very appreciative of her dedication to creating long lasting relationships with our customers.  This is a well-deserved honor and our team at the Longview Loop office couldn’t be more proud.”

Karson Noe, Retail Office Manager, Longview Loop

“Kayla has been such an asset to the North Region.  The confidence we have placed in her to train our new tellers says so much about how we feel about her capabilities and we appreciate her willingness to take on the task.  We are fortunate to have Kayla as part of our team.”

Gay Higdon, Senior Vice President/Retail Market Manager, Longview Oak Forest

“Kayla is such a kind hearted person.  She is very meticulous in anything she does, and her initiative and hard work are definitely Star qualities.  I have been very blessed to call her a friend and wonderful coworker.”

Lynnette Martin, Vice President/Retail Market Manager, Longview Oak Forest