Welcome to Texell’s new publication, Texell Quarterly. Along with upcoming events and other Texell news, you’ll also find articles to educate and entertain. In today’s welcome note, I thought I’d share a little history about our credit union.
Texell Credit Union celebrated its 75th anniversary in December 2023. With humble beginnings in a small office in the Veterans Center, Texell continues to expand our services. Now serving more than 50,000 members we will continue to serve Texans for generations.
Being a credit union owned by you, our members, allows us to manage the credit union for long-term prosperity and stability, not short-term stockholder benefits. After all, we live in this community too, and your success is our success.
Texell’s financial strength is demonstrated by consistently receiving a 5-Star Superior Bauer Financial rating and our recommended status for over 33 years! This recommendation is a reflection of our commitment to protecting your money. Our financials are always available on our website and are posted at each branch office.
Thank you for your membership and your continued trust in Texell.
Join us at these upcoming Texell events.
July 4 @ 8:00 p.m.
4th of July Drone Show at Crossroads Park, Temple
Back by popular demand, Texell is sponsoring the 4th of July Drone Show before the City of Temple’s Fireworks Show, starting at dusk. The park is at 6600 Research Lp., Temple.
Estate planning is less about you and more about those you love. Learn more in this seminar, held in the 1948 Room at Texell’s Headquarters at 7083 Members Parkway in Temple.
July 21 @ 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Baylor Scott & White Blood Drive, Texell HQ
July 25 @ 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Dollar Squad Event, Lions Junction Family Water Park
Splash your way through the park at this VIP event for our Dollar Squad members and an accompanying adult. The water park is at 5000 S. 5th St., Temple.
August 1 @ 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. | Free Treat Friday, Cedar Park
August 19 @ 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Social Security Strategies Seminar, Texell’s Headquarters
Learn about the best age to retire and strategies to consider with social security benefits. This seminar is in the 1948 Room at Texell’s Headquarters, 7083 Members Parkway, Temple.
September 5 @ 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Free Treat Friday, West Temple
Castillo Customs
By Kristen Reichert
Castillo Customs in Riesel, TX, offers auto customization with full and partial vinyl wraps, auto detailing, window tinting, paint protection film, and vinyl graphics and decals for any surface. The owner, Julio Alvarez, owner of Castillo Customs, is driven by his passion for customizing cars after getting his first car at 15. He wrapped his 2016 Camaro in different full color wraps more than a dozen times, installed accessories, and taught himself detailing and window tinting.
“Texell did a great job of guiding us through it.”
He customized autos owned by family members and gradually built his business over the past five years before deciding to open his own shop in Riesel, TX. He and his wife, Erin Castillo, met with a Business Advisor at the McLennan Small Business Development Center (SBDC). He discussed their options for a small business loan and recommended that they contact Texell to start their business. Our Commercial team walked them through the process of getting a Small Business Development (SBA) loan.
“Texell did a great job of guiding us through it because we had no idea all that we had to do,” said Erin Castillo. The shop celebrated their grand opening at the beginning of April 2025 and have had a steady stream of customization requests, from mini detailing to remove paint overspray to transforming a Ram with premium interior and exterior detailing. They also applied Apex Ultra Tint on a semi-truck’s windows, and C2 Ceramic window tint on a farm vehicle.
“We’ve had a lot of people who want to do tractors,” said Julio. Reisel is a rural area, but their clientele ranges from those in the local Waco area to larger cities, including Austin and Dallas. Besides vehicle wraps, they can make custom printed vinyl for businesses to display their logos and other signage.
“People are very creative,” said Erin. “When we go to car meets, they have crazy stuff they want to do.” Julio takes a customer’s request or concept and designs them using software made for auto customization.
Castillo Customs is at 106 S. Main Street in Riesel, TX. To learn more about services or to book an appointment, call or text 254.624.7507, visit castillocustomsllc.com or find them on Facebook.
If you are looking to open your own business or need a business loan, Texell’s Commercial team is ready to help. Visit Texell.org/Business or call 254.774.5161 to get started.
Taking a Closer Look at ATMs & eATMs
Since the 1960s, automated or automatic teller machines (ATMs) have revolutionized the financial industry, allowing customers and members to transact at all hours. Learn more about ATMs’ history and what the future holds for these important financial tools.
Looking Back
Luther Simijian invented the first automated deposit machine in 1960, the Bankograph. This machine accepted deposits of coins, banknotes, and checks but didn’t dispense money. A camera inside the machine took snapshots of the money deposited, and customers received a copy of these images as receipts.
An engineering team led by John Shepherd-Barron of the print firm De La Rue created the first ATM that dispensed cash. This ATM opened at a Barclays branch in London on June 27, 1967, and only
dispensed £10 at a time, or about $14 USD. Instead of using plastic cards for identification, customers inserted checks issued by tellers or cashiers. These paper checks were later marked with a four-digit personal identification number or PIN.
Shepherd-Barron claims that his inspiration for ATMs came from chocolate bar dispensers: “It struck me there must be a way I could get my own money, anywhere in the world or the UK. I hit upon the idea of a chocolate bar dispenser, but replacing chocolate with cash.” ¹
In 1962, Adrian Ashfield invented a card system that could securely identify the user and monitor transactions. However, James Goodfellow patented the idea of using a PIN with plastic cards in May 1966. IBM engineers created the magnetic stripe on the backs of cards to help secure account information on the card, a crucial step in the history of ATMs.
Chemical Bank in Long Island, New York, installed the first ATM in the U.S. on September 2, 1969. Designed in 1968 by Donald Wetzel, vice president of the Docutel Corporation, these were called
a Docuteller machine. About a decade later, consumers could use another bank’s ATMs to withdraw funds.
Drive-up ATMs became popular in the 1980s, with the first installed by NCR in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1980. In the late 1990s, talking ATMs replaced those with Braille keypads, and the first was installed at San Francisco City Hall in 1999. Besides the convenience of making financial transactions 24/7 instead of during banker’s hours, ATMs also reduced congestion in branches.
Looking Forward
The ATM Industry Association (ATMIA) estimates there are more than 520,000 active ATMs in the U.S. With the technological advancements of smartphones, consumers prefer more intuitive devices with easy-touse touch screens. As
financial institutions aim to streamline the digital banking experience, many features and transactions available to consumers in their banking app or online will become available in ATMs. Accessibility features and security measures will also be improved, like contactless interfaces or biometrics required to access accounts. Although only an estimated 9% of banks plan to implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) in ATM networks in 20252, AI advancements could prevent fraud and reduce downtime by identifying potential maintenance issues before they occur.
Today, advanced or enhanced automatic teller machines (eATMs) allow members to navigate menus easily and conduct many more transactions than traditional ATMs. In addition to cash withdrawals and account
inquiries, users can deposit checks or cash, transfer money between accounts, make loan payments, and more.
FAQs of Texell’s eATMS
Texell’s eATMs are available 24/7, and members can deposit cash or checks, make loan payments and transfers, get account balances, and withdraw cash. Members can choose the bill denominations from $1s, $10s, $20s, or $100s when withdrawing cash. Texell members can withdraw up to $3,000 daily, and nonmembers can withdraw up to $400 daily. Members can deposit up to 50 bills or 10 checks at a time but through separate transactions. Cash deposits are accepted immediately, while check deposits are reviewed in real time with a text notification provided within minutes. Checks deposited after regular business hours will be reviewed and approved the following business day.
Texell’s eATMs are now available for members at all branch locations. To find a branch nearest you, visit Texell.org/locate.
¹ The Man Who Invented the Cash Machine by Brian Milligan, BBC News
2 Top ATM trends to watch in 2025, ATMIA.
FROM TEXELL HOME LOANS
Homebuyers Guide Mortgage Team Members
Owning a home is possible¹, and Texell’s Home Loan Heroes are here to help. Trust our team of experts to guide you through the homebuying process from start to finish.
Step 1: Get expert advice.
Choose a Mortgage Loan Officer – Texell’s Mortgage Loan Officers simplify a complicated process.
A Mortgage Loan Officer guides you through the following:
• The loan application.
• The pre-approval provides you with a “needs list” to start the loan process.
• Interest rate trends to estimate how they may affect your payment.
• Closing cost estimates.
• Programs for first-time homebuyers with customized down payment options.
• Down payment assistance programs that expedite funding.
They’ll also give you expert advice on:
• How to check your scores and ways to boost your scores. Your credit score is a vital factor in your mortgage approval and what rate you will be offered.
• Ensuring you have sufficient funds for a down payment.
• Calculating funds required to cover closing costs and moving expenses.
• Reviewing your debt-to-income ratio. Our mortgage experts will review your financial situation and ensure your pre-approval amount fits your budget.
Step 2: Get pre-approved.
For first-time homebuyers, getting pre-approved ensures the best deal and speeds up negotiations for the ideal home.
Prepare: When getting pre-approved, ensure you have the following information available:
• Income Statements – Last two months’ paycheck stubs.
• Bank Statements – Last two months’ financial account statements.
• Personal and Business Tax Returns – Last two years.
• W-2’s/1099’s – Last two years.
Apply and get your pre-approval. Your Mortgage Loan Officer issues you with a customized Pre-Approval Letter.
Do’s and Don’t After You’re Pre-approved
Do
• Check your email and text messages frequently during the loan process.
• Provide requested documents within 24 Hours including:
• Purchase contract/agreement.
• Gift funds letter with donor capacity verification documents.
• Homeowners insurance policy.
• Front and back copies of earnest money deposit.
• Continue to make all current housing and consumer debt payments.
Don’t
• Make any major purchases.
• Apply for new credit.
• Make any large deposits or withdrawals.
• Fret if you need to provide additional documents.
Brushing Scams
One of the latest scam trends involves unexpected mail or packages that contain merchandise with a QR code. Known as a brushing scam, the package or mail contains different messages that all carry the same intent—to steal personal information. Signs of brushing include packages without a return address or spotting a review with your name that you didn’t make.
It’s easy to fall for this scam if you think your personal information isn’t publicly available. Unfortunately, scammers search for the names and addresses of consumers using data broker sites or by using data breaches on the dark web. Let’s look at the strategies these scammers use:
• Package or mail containing QR codes to enter giveaways or claim prizes. Known as quishing, scams involving QR codes often lead to fake websites that look legitimate to steal your personal information. Some websites could download malware, giving hackers access to your device.
• Packages contain free products with the sender requesting reviews. Even though unsolicited merchandise is yours to keep by law and doesn’t have to be returned or reported, be aware that this is more than likely a scam attack. Scammers use your address to post fake reviews to boost sales or may even ask for money if you like the product you received. Some packages may also include quishing with QR codes to scan and learn more about the company.
Bottom line: Never scan a QR code if you’re unsure of the source. If a scammer succeeds in brushing a scam, they’re more likely to use your address again. Monitor your financial accounts, change passwords, and consider freezing or locking your credit if you think you’ve been a victim. You may also file a report with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Brushing scams are illegal in the U.S., and you can report suspicious mail to the United States Postal Inspection Service at https://www.uspis.gov/report.
Meet Layton Flynn Texell’s
West
Temple Branch Manager
Learn what it’s like to work at Texell in our Meet the Team series. For the first feature, we interviewed the 2024 Manager of the Year, West Temple Branch Manager Layton Flynn.
After high school, Layton enrolled in the United States Army and served 20 years. He was awarded a Bronze Star in Afghanistan and three meritorious service medals from different assignments during his service. He’s part of the U.S. Army Signal Corps Association, including both the Order of Mercury and the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club. He was also among the top 10% of non-commissioned officers in the Army.
After retiring from the Army, he began researching companies and decided Texell looked like a good place to work. He met with staff members at a job fair and was hired as the Assistant Branch Manager for the Downtown Temple location. He became the Branch Manager of the West Temple location in 2023.
“I genuinely love coming to work each day and meeting with our members and people within our community, helping build those relationships,” said Layton. “Texell is not just a financial institution; we’re genuinely invested in our members. We do our very best to help our members with any of their financial needs.”
Layton was a Communications Specialist in the Army, and he thought the soft skills he learned in the military, such as managing time, people, and money, were transferable to Texell. When he first started, he strived to win Manager of the Year at Texell’s annual Employee Awards Banquet, and he felt honored to win that award this past February.
“I was very humbled by the experience, and I know that what really enabled that award is the team that I have at West Temple,” Layton said. “I have a great team of loan officers, service representatives, and an assistant branch manager who enabled my success.”
He’s thankful to Texell for the opportunity to network with the members and call Central Texas home. He has two children with his wife and is an avid animal lover with three dogs, a bearded dragon, and a ball python. In his free time, he enjoys hunting, the peace of nature, and watching all types of sports.
Take the next step in your career at Texell
Texell offers many career opportunities across our eight branches and various administrative departments. Visit Texell.org/Careers to hear from some team members and to explore current openings.
Membership offers many privileges...
When you bank with Texell Credit Union, you’re not a customer—you’re a member. And the benefits of membership are plentiful.
In addition to personalized service, you’ll also love:
Earning BONUS Rewards Points on your debit card!
The best rates on loans, credit cards, and certificates.
Deposit account balances insured up to $500,000.¹
Trustworthiness and exceptional customer service, dating back to our founding in 1948.
Make the most of your membership.
Access your funds quickly in Digital Banking, visit any branch, or open an account online in 4 minutes at Texell.org.
