ILEANA PAYNE

Frost Bank Vice President Financial Center Manager of North Frost and Alamo Heights 

By Carole Miller

Photography by David Teran

Ileana Payne is an original, if there ever was one. The McAllen native is so unwittingly inspirational that, before you know it, you find yourself wanting to know much more about her. She parlayed a degree in journalism and advertising along with her love of writing, marketing, and people into a career in banking 32 years ago and never looked back.

“I joined Frost Bank right after kindergarten,” she jokes. “But seriously, I absolutely love the people aspect of banking and taking care of clients. I began in marketing, wrote brochures, coordinated trade shows, and wrote the magazine for the Young Leaders Club, but I really wanted to do the retail side of banking.”

She understands the value of a hard day’s work and is willing to put in time for her community, doing everything from attending local city council and school board meetings to joining the Junior League to shoveling mulch for charity.

“Ileana is genuinely kind, caring, and thoughtful,” says Tricia Richardson, Frost Bank Group Financial Center Manager. “She goes above and beyond and knows all her customers. She knows their families, friends and even knows their dog’s names.”

The Frost motto, “Faith, Family, Frost,” contributes to her extraordinary philosophy of life. That and her unconventional way of dealing with basically everything.

“If you look after faith and family, then work just falls in line,” she explains. “COVID forced everyone at Frost Bank to think outside the box, but I’d rather be in the bank.”

Nothing Ileana Payne touches will ever turn out ordinary. It may be unusual. But it will never be ordinary.