Sasser grew up in San Antonio where his father was the proprietor of a John Deer tractor dealership. He also spent a good deal of time at his family’s cattle ranch in Frio County.
It wasn’t until his last semester at Texas A&M when he decided banking was in the cards professionally. Sasser visited his family, who now lived in Uvalde, to meet with a local banker and ask for a job. It was that banker who suggested Sasser ought to start out as an examiner. So, he went to Austin and got the job.
Sasser said, “It was a career choice I have never regretted. I think being a banker is the most rewarding profession that someone with a giving and helping heart can have.”
Entry into banking
Sasser’s banking career as an examiner for the Texas Department of Banking was a rewarding one. That career moved him throughout the state, from Austin to Odessa, then to Amarillo and again to Dallas, where he was able to receive his commission as a full examiner. Sasser had a brief stint in Longview before he was finally sent to McAllen. He eventually decided to make the career move from public to private and spent the next six years working at Commercial National Bank in Beeville. There he worked in lending and the trust department. He eventually moved back to McAllen where he worked at three different banks before ending up at Rio Bank, which has been his home since 1999.
“I spent some time working in the Trust Department in Beeville but had mostly been in lending in the Beeville and McAllen locations. I found both areas of the bank to be extremely rewarding,” said Sasser of his area focus in banking.
"I have always tried to observe good people and tried to pattern my life after them.”
Growing with Rio Bank
Rio Bank was originally named Rio National Bank when it was organized in 1985 and had a few regulatory issues when Sasser first started working there. The bank had two offices in McAllen. Shortly after joining the bank, a decision was made to change the bank’s name and convert their national charter to a state charter.
Sasser said, “We were a small $30 million dollar problem bank when I arrived in 1999. We recapitalized the bank, rolled up our sleeves and started working through the problems.”
Today, the bank has about $875 million in total assets with 15 offices from Brownsville to Roma. Rio Bank’s market stretches along the Texas/Mexico border, which has been a thriving market with a diversified economy, serving several sectors.
Rio Bank’s mission statement is, “We help our communities grow,” and prides itself in every employee’s can-do attitude. This has been attributed to the way leadership has cultivated the company culture. Employees own stock in the bank and are encouraged to act like owners. Mistakes are viewed as opportunities to learn and grow.
Sasser as the CEO said, “I have worked for years pushing authority to the front-line people so they can be problem solvers for our customers.”
Rio Bank’s success has been undeniable under the leadership of Sasser. The bank’s board recently approved expanding their footprint outside of the Rio Grande Valley with plans to open a loan production office in the San Antonio area and follow up later with branches.
Family & Community Life
Sasser is married to Abbie, who he met as a banker in Beeville. They have two daughters, Amanda and Emily. Amanda is finishing up a master’s degree at Kansas State University in Drama Therapy and Emily has special needs.
It was his daughter Emily who inspired the bank’s commitment to CAMP University. CAMP — Can Achieve Maximum Potential — is a place for both young and older adults with special needs to attend after leaving the school system. Emily no longer attends CAMP because she now works as a greeter at the bank.
Sasser loves spending time at their ranch, located about an hour north of McAllen. The Sassers raise cattle and enjoy spending time with the abundant wildlife on the property. They spend time fishing, riding horses, feeding the cattle and simply driving around the ranch.
Sasser said, “We have picnics and just enjoy God’s creation.”
There are no plans for Sasser to retire anytime soon. He likes to quote Bobby Bowden when the college football coach was asked about retiring, “Not any time soon because there is only one big event after that.”
Sasser has spent his life trying to follow in the footsteps of good people. While he was in college, his father passed away but he certainly set the character bar high. Sasser watched people he admired — he sought out their advice and counsel throughout his life.
Sasser said, “I have always tried to observe good people and tried to pattern my life after them. I always felt that if you do the right things in life, you will have a happier life than someone who doesn’t and that has certainly been true for me.”
If you would like to know more about the man leading TBA, be sure to pick up a copy of the book “Why Would Anyone Officiate Football,” written by the family’s favorite author. It’s Sasser’s personal accounting from spending 35 years officiating football at the high school and college levels and is available on Amazon, BookLocker.Com or at your local bookstore.