ViewPoint Bank Forms Energy Finance Group

PLANO, Texas, May 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ViewPoint Bank today announced the formation of a new energy lending group, hiring long-time energy banker Chris Parada as Senior Vice President (SVP) and Managing Director of Energy Finance to lead its effort. Parada will report to Michael Ansolabehere, SVP and Managing Director of Corporate Banking.

The Energy Finance group will focus on providing senior debt financing to private and public oil and gas companies throughout the United States, with an emphasis on reserve-based transactions. ViewPoint entered the energy lending business in 2012 by focusing on participations with industry partners in club transactions, and currently has commitments in excess of $80 million. With the formation of this new group, ViewPoint will be focused on leading or participating in transactions within the energy industry.

"While energy lending is relatively new to ViewPoint Bank, it's not new to our commercial lending team," said ViewPoint Bank President and CEO Kevin Hanigan. "We're very pleased to have Chris Parada on board. He brings a deep knowledge of the energy finance business, as well as long-standing relationships in the industry."

Parada has 20 years of energy banking experience, most recently as SVP of Energy Lending with One West Bank where he was responsible for new business origination throughout the United States. Previously, Parada spent time with Societe Generale as Managing Director of Energy Finance, and served as SVP of Energy Lending for both BBVA Compass and Fortis Capital. A graduate of Texas A&M with a BBA in Finance, Parada began his energy banking career at Bank One in Dallas in 1993.

About ViewPoint Bank
ViewPoint Bank, N.A. is the wholly owned subsidiary of ViewPoint Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: VPFG). Based in Plano, ViewPoint has been serving customers in North Texas since 1952. With $3.4 billion in assets, it operates 29 community bank offices in 17 Metroplex cities, and two First National Bank of Jacksboro locations in Jack and Wise Counties. For more information, please visit www.viewpointbank.com.

SOURCE ViewPoint Bank