Texas Commercial Banking

Pete Thompson

Division Manager, Commercial Banking
972-419-4163

A seasoned banking professional, Pete has experience with credit, production, derivative and management experience, and more. His career in banking and financial services extends over 22 years in the Dallas and Fort Worth Metroplex. Tasked with the management and growth of WaFd's Texas Commercial Real Estate portfolio, Pete and his team have a focus on income producing properties, including multi-family, industrial, office, retail, and medical projects. He takes a consultative approach with clients to address their needs and helps to navigate credit markets so that he can learn how best to guide them. Raised in the Dallas area, Pete still resides nearby with his family. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, attending sporting events, and supporting the Dallas Mavericks and his TCU Horned Frogs.

Rocky Rainbolt

CRE Relationship Manager
214-497-4867

Rocky has more than 35 years of banking experience, working on all types of commercial real estate transactions through several real estate cycles. Born and raised in North Texas, Rocky has experience in most Texas markets, focusing primarily on investor-owned commercial projects from multi family, industrial and self-storage to retail and office. When not working, Rocky enjoys fishing, golfing, and restoring classic cars.

Jeff Payne

Vice President, Relationship Manager
214-695-6201

A seasoned commercial real estate lender, Jeff has over 25 years of lending experience in the Houston market. His primary focus is investor-owned commercial real estate lending, including multi-family, retail, office, and industrial projects, as well as single tenant NNN properties. As a native Houstonian, Jeff has experienced Houston's tremendous growth and diversification over the last 25 years and is excited to see it continue as a significant target for commercial real estate investment. Jeff enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, hunting, and fishing.

Will Fisher

Assistant Vice President, Portfolio Manager
972-419-4177

Will has worked in commercial banking since 2008 with a focus on financing and managing commercial real estate lending relationships. Transaction experience is concentrated in multifamily, industrial and office. He works closely with WaFd clients through every step of loan origination and serves as an ongoing resource to ensure all needs are met. When not working, Will enjoys running and the outdoors, traveling and spending time with his family.

Wendy Valentine

Commercial Relationship Manager
737-207-3492

Austin Branch
3800 N Lamar, Suite 135
Austin, Texas 78756

Wendy has been in the banking industry for 30 years, with 22 years in commercial lending. Her primary focus is building and maintaining productive relationships with new and existing clients. Outside of work she enjoys travel, outdoor activities, family, and the wonderful ever evolving Austin live music scene. Wendy's motto is “If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life.”

Jeremiah Bush

Director of Commercial Banking
512-213-5572

Austin Branch
3800 N Lamar, Suite 135
Austin, Texas 78756

Jeremiah Bush has over 20 years of experience in the banking industry, serving in leadership roles such as Director of Commercial Banking, Business Banking Manager, and Director of Business Banking. Now at WaFd Bank, Jeremiah leads the bank's efforts in the Austin market as Director of Commercial Banking. A proven leader in both the banking sector and the Austin community, Jeremiah excels at managing relationships with banking partners to deliver seamless, integrated experiences. He provides strategic solutions for growth strategies, treasury solutions, and financial operations. Jeremiah also serves on various charitable boards, demonstrating his commitment to community service.

Pete Thompson

Division Manager, Commercial Banking
972-419-4163

A seasoned banking professional, Pete has experience with credit, production, derivative and management experience, and more. His career in banking and financial services extends over 22 years in the Dallas and Fort Worth Metroplex. Tasked with the management and growth of WaFd's Texas Commercial Real Estate portfolio, Pete and his team have a focus on income producing properties, including multi-family, industrial, office, retail, and medical projects. He takes a consultative approach with clients to address their needs and helps to navigate credit markets so that he can learn how best to guide them. Raised in the Dallas area, Pete still resides nearby with his family. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, attending sporting events, and supporting the Dallas Mavericks and his TCU Horned Frogs.

Shannon Bettis

Senior Commercial Relationship Manager
972-419-4176

Shannon is a graduate of Mississippi State University and middle market commercial banking executive, specializing in leadership and the design of turnkey financial solutions throughout the Dallas and Fort Worth Metroplex. With over 26 years of experience, Shannon's specialties include commercial and industrial relationships for manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, professional service companies, and family offices. Her expertise ranges from revolving lines of credit, guidance lines, term loans for equipment, debt consolidation and recapitalization, all the way to owner-occupied real estate. Outside of banking, she is passionate about championing people. Shannon also enjoys HIIT workouts, kickboxing, running, sketching, and all things dog related.

Michael Park

SVP, Senior Relationship Manager
972-419-4164

Mike is part of the WaFd C&I Lending team in Dallas. His responsibilities include new business development, growth strategy execution, and relationship management. Previous experience includes Managing Director for CFO Partners, Relationship Manager, Business Development Manager, and a team lead role.

Previous banking experience includes roles as team lead for a Technology & Life Sciences industry lending group, Middle Market loan officer and credit administration officer. In these roles he developed senior debt term sheets for a range of credit facilities and directed the related credit underwriting and financial statement analysis.  Mike has built a strong network and has a proven track record of exceeding business development goals in addition to managing client, referral, and investor relationships.

Brice Bolen

Division Manager, Homebuilder Finance
972-419-4165

Brice is a veteran of the commercial banking industry with over 25 years of lending experience. His primary area of expertise and focus is homebuilder finance, including homebuilder lines of credit and acquisition and development financing. Brice is a Baylor university graduate and enjoys travelling and spending time with his family when away from work.

Jeremy Price

VP Relationship Manager
972-419-4177

Working in the banking industry since 2009, Jeremy brings experience in retail, credit management, commercial real estate, and commercial and industrial lending. His focus today is commercial real estate construction, permanent and homebuilder finance, as well as homebuilder lines of credit and acquisition and development financing. Jeremy was born and raised in Dallas Fort Worth and graduated with a finance degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Outside of work, Jeremy is an avid golfer who enjoys spending time with his wife and son travelling and enjoying all sports, outdoor events, and the arts.

Rusty Stehr

Division Manager, Energy Team
972-419-4169

Rusty founded the Energy Lending Team for WaFd Bank in the fall of 2016 and has more than 20 years of energy lending expertise. Graduating with a degree in Business Management from the University of Oklahoma, he also graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Oklahoma School of Law. In his free time, he loves spending time with his wife of over 20 years and their two children. He also serves on various boards in his free time and is a coach for little league sports through the Arlington YMCA, among other volunteering activities.

Tyler Evans

Assistant Vice President, Energy Team
972-419-4184

Tyler has been in the energy banking industry for more than 9 years. Prior to joining WaFd Bank, Tyler spent five years at another financial institution where he helped to facilitate debt financing for exploration, development and production oil and gas companies. He earned his degree in finance with a minor in accounting from Oklahoma State University.

Larry Sears

Senior Vice President, Relationship Manager
972-419-4189

With a broad level of experience within the energy industry and capital markets, Larry also has more than 40 years of banking experience, providing financing to energy, commercial and industrial, real estate, and agriculture businesses, with both asset based and project financing platforms. Larry has experience originating both domestic and cross-border transactions. Larry's breadth of experience includes originating and managing transactions in the energy sector which included companies engaged in upstream, midstream, downstream refining and petrochemical process industry sectors. He earned his degree from Kansas State University with an emphasis in finance, and his master's in graduate studies at Oklahoma State University. A member of the industry association of ADAM Energy Forum, Larry also currently serves on the Finance Advisory Board for the Department of Finance at Kansas State University.

Chad Rowan

Energy Lending Officer
972-419-4174

Chad joined WaFd Bank's Energy Team in 2017 after attending TCU's Energy MBA program in Fort Worth, TX. His career began in 2008 with a drilling contractor and oil producer in the East Texas area where he learned the business. Cycles over the last 15 years have provided Chad with not only a humble appreciation for the volatility, risks, and rewards of the industry, but also the importance of relationships built on trust. He has served as a WINGS financial coach and is a board member with the East Texas ADAM Energy Forum in Tyler, TX. Chad resides in North Texas with his wife and two children.

Martha Dunn

Director of Treasury
972-419-4168

Boasting more than 30 years in the banking industry, Martha has a broad range of experience including lending, portfolio restructure, customer migration, product, and treasury management sales. Her focus is partnering with clients to find the right solution to assist with accounting automation, fraud prevention, and working capital management. The WaFd Treasury Team works closely with relationship managers to build a comprehensive understanding of each client's needs. Martha lives by the mantra, “great things in business are never done by one person; they are done by a team of people.“

Stephanie Krauss

Treasury Relationship Manager
972-419-4185

With more than 20 years of sales experience, Stephanie has been in the banking industry for over 4 years. Her focus is partnering with clients to find the right solution to assist with accounting automation, fraud prevention, and working capital management. Stephanie currently serves on the Board for the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce and is the Chair of the Ambassador Committee for the NDCC, as well as serving on the Board for Girls on the Run DFW. When not working, she enjoys crafting and monogramming gifts for friends.

Shelli Vercell

Treasury Relationship Manager
972-419-4199

Shelli has enjoyed a career of over 20 years in the Senior Living industry as an Executive Director of multiple communities. Ranging from independent living, assisted living, and memory care, Shelli says it was a true joy to serve our senior population while learning many life lessons along the way. She joins WaFd to continue helping and serving our communities.

A Texas girl through and through, Shellie has spent all but one year of her life living right here in Texas. Growing up in Abilene, she also attended Navarro College there before moving around Dallas and traveling. Shelli is an avid reader and movie watcher, and although she lives on the lake is not much of an angler. Her family means the world to her, and she spends as much time as possible with her children, grandchildren, and granddogs.