Kleberg Bank Wins Statewide Best of Community Banking Award
Kleberg Bank Wins Statewide Best of Community Banking Award
Independent Bankers Association of Texas Recognizes Kingsville Bank’s Community Service Achievement
KINGSVILLE, Texas—The Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT), the largest state community banking association in the nation, recently honored Kleberg Bank in Kingsville with a Best of Community Banking (BOCB) Award. The bank received a Gold Eagle Award in the Community Service category for its “Community Builder Program” entry.
Kleberg Bank’s Community Builder Program provides a structured way to support, track and celebrate the volunteerism that has long been part of the bank’s culture. Through a centralized platform, team members can log volunteer hours, discover service opportunities, and see the collective impact of their involvement throughout South Texas.
The program also recognizes employees who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to service. Team members who contribute 100 or more volunteer hours during the year earn the designation of Community Builder, highlighting individuals who make community involvement a significant part of their lives beyond the bank.
In 2025, 72 Kleberg Bank team members documented 3,073.5 volunteer hours across more than 60 South Texas organizations. Their service benefited organizations and initiatives including the Coastal Bend Food Bank, CASA of the Coastal Bend, the Out of the Darkness Walk and United Way of the Coastal Bend. Nine team members earned Community Builder recognition after each contributing at least 100 volunteer hours during the year.
Rather than creating a new culture of service, the Community Builder Program has given Kleberg Bank a way to make an existing commitment more visible, measurable, and celebrated while recognizing the employees who carry that commitment into the communities they serve.
2026 marks the 35th year that IBAT has celebrated the outstanding accomplishments of Texas community banks with the BOCB Awards. Community banks, such as Kleberg Bank, play a critical role in their local communities. The Best of Community Banking competition is designed to honor local banks for their commitment to helping their customers, neighbors, employees, and community. BOCB Awards recognize community banks throughout the state for their innovation, creativity, and success in fulfilling a specific community or internal need.
All BOCB gold, silver and bronze submissions can be viewed at www.ibat.org. For more information about Kleberg Bank’s submission and the program it highlights, contact Brad Womack at (361) 595-2924.
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About Kleberg Bank
Founded in Kingsville in 1905 by Robert Justus Kleberg, Kleberg Bank is an independent community bank serving Kingsville, Corpus Christi, and the surrounding South Texas region. Built on a foundation of integrity and community involvement, the bank remains committed to building long-term relationships, supporting economic opportunity, and helping improve the quality of life in the communities it serves. More than 120 years after its founding, Kleberg Bank continues the original mission of supporting a “spirit of cooperation in community building.”
About the Independent Bankers Association of Texas
Formed in 1974, the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT) represents Texas community banks. The Austin-based group is the largest state community banking organization in the nation with membership comprised of over 2,500 banks and branches in more than 700 Texas communities. Providing safe and responsible financial services to all Texans, IBAT member bank assets range in size from $28 million to $51 billion with combined assets statewide of $296 billion. IBAT member banks are committed to supporting and investing in their local communities.