Southwest Securities, FSB Expands to New Mexico

DALLAS, May 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SWS Group, Inc. and its subsidiary bank, Southwest Securities, FSB, today announced the addition of a team of experienced bankers to open a new banking center in Ruidoso to serve the needs of Southern New Mexico.

SWS officials said Greg Cory will lead the new banking center as President, and Tom Rigsby has agreed to serve as Senior Vice President and Loan Officer. Mr. Cory said he anticipates opening the bank by late July. The southern New Mexico service area includes Ruidoso, Roswell and Las Cruces.

"This is an exciting time at our bank," said President and Chief Executive Officer John Holt of Southwest Securities, FSB. "The Ruidoso banking center represents a continuation of the bank's expansion across the Southwest. We believe we can fill an important need for community banking services in southern New Mexico. This is a growing, vibrant region with a demand for the lending services we can provide."

Mr. Cory has a broad range of experience in all facets of community banking spanning a 28-year career. He served as Community President of State National Bank in Ruidoso and Alamogordo, N.M. from 2001-2007, Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of State National Bank in El Paso, Texas from 1999 to 2001 and in executive officer positions with Montwood National Bank and Valley Bancorp, Inc. in El Paso. He began his career with Western Bank in Lordsburg and Las Cruces, N.M.

Active in his community, Mr. Cory serves as mayor pro tem and council member for the Village of Ruidoso and is past president of the Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce. He is also founding chair and current board member of Leadership Lincoln, member of the New Mexico Municipal League, a lector at Saint Eleanor Catholic Parish, a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus, and a graduate of Leadership New Mexico.

Mr. Cory is a graduate of the BBVA USA School of Management, Texas Executive Education Program of the University of Texas at Austin. His professional development also includes financial management and lending management studies at Sheshunoff Institute for High Performance Banking.

Mr. Rigsby served as Executive Vice President of State National Bank in Ruidoso from 2005 to 2008. During the prior 10 years, he was an executive with First Federal Bank in Ruidoso, serving as Lincoln County President (2001- 2005) and Vice President (1995-2001). He also served in executive officer positions with Ruidoso State Bank and United New Mexico Bank. He has resided in Ruidoso for the past 18 years.

Active in the community, Mr. Rigsby serves as board member and secretary for Eastern New Mexico University in Ruidoso, as well as advisory board member and past president of the advisory board. He served as a member of Leadership Lincoln, class of 2006-2007. He also has served as chairman of the Master Facility Plan Committee for the Ruidoso Municipal School District, on the board of the Ruidoso Home Care and Hospice Foundation, as a member of the Village of Ruidoso Economic Development Committee and is a past president of the Rotary Club of Ruidoso.

Mr. Rigsby is a graduate of Texas Tech University, where he received a B.B.A. degree in finance in 1979. He is also a graduate of numerous professional development programs.

Janice Rogers will serve as Administrative Assistant to the two senior officers. She was formerly with State National Bank (now Compass Bank) where she served as an Administrative Loan Assistant.

Southwest Securities, FSB (formerly First Savings Bank) was established in Arlington, Texas in 1986 and became a wholly owned subsidiary of SWS Group, Inc. in 2000. Although based in Texas, the bank conducts business nationwide and is involved in all areas of lending, from commercial loans and residential construction loans to mortgage purchase lending. Southwest Securities, FSB offers a variety of community banking services designed to help businesses grow and communities prosper.

SWS Group, Inc. is a Dallas-based financial services holding company offering a broad range of investment and financial services through its subsidiaries. The company's common stock is listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SWS.