Accounting deputy controller for First National Bank Texas, Michelle Marie Williams Guzman, boasts more than 25 years of experience in the banking industry. She has overcome numerous challenges throughout her career to excel in her role, leading to her designation as a Top Professional by Marquis Who’s Who.
Discovering Banking
Guzman earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance in 1998 and an executive master’s degree in business administration, banking, and financial support services in 2024 from Sam Houston State University. Between degrees, Guzman became a certified public accountant in September 2009.
During her undergraduate studies, Guzman’s interest in banking was piqued by the lectures from Dr. James Bexley, the first Smith-Hutson Endowed Chair of Banking at Sam Houston State University and a member of the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame for commercial banking. During her graduate studies, Mrs. Jill Vaughn, the current Smith-Hutson Endowed Chair of Banking at Sam Houston State University and a member of the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame, became a mentor and role model for Guzman and challenged her to be a better banker.
After a long tenure in the industry, Guzman states that she has “never regretted pursuing a career in banking and accounting” and that she chose the “right professional path” for herself. In recognition of her potential for executive leadership, Guzman received the SWBC Foundation Award from the Texas Business Hall of Fame in 2024, which highlights her dedication and advancement in her career in the banking industry.
Excellence in Banking
Guzman has witnessed significant growth within the bank for over two decades. “When I started at the bank, its asset size was $340 million. Currently, the bank is at $4.4 billion in assets, with a footprint that spans the states of Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Arkansas, with the growth coming organically.
First National Bank Texas focuses on retail banking, which has proved remarkably successful for the institution. As the accounting deputy controller, Guzman oversees the financial, regulatory, and managerial reporting for the holding company, bank, and non-bank entities. She works to promptly resolve issues by leveraging her extensive experience and large network.
Guzman states, “The banking industry has gone through many changes and adversities over the years, influenced by regulatory, economic, and political changes. First National Bank Texas has been impacted by those changes like any other community bank; however, the bank continues to grow, conform, and strive while supporting the local communities we serve. Our motto, ‘We are 1’, personifies how the bank continues to put customers first and has been doing so since its inception in 1901.”
A Reliance on Her Village
The daughter of an American service member and a German mother, Guzman was born at Fort Hood, Texas. Her father met her mother during his first duty station as a member of the U.S. Army in Germany.
Guzman attributes much of her success to the support of her family and those around her. She describes her family, friends, and colleagues as her village, a source of strength that has carried her through challenges and lifted her in moments of doubt. “I would not be where I am if I did not have my village,” she explains. “The times when I was not at my best, they were there to remind me, ‘Yes, you are. You got this.’” Grateful for both her personal and professional support networks, she emphasizes that her accomplishments are not hers alone but the result of a community that has rallied behind her. “Between my family, my village, and my work family, I’m very blessed to be where I am right now.”
