Allegiance Bancshares

Houston banking company Allegiance Bancshares may have burst onto the national stage with an IPO in 2015, but founders George Martinez and Steve Retzloff want the company to focus on doing business in Texas. Allegiance operates almost exclusively in the Houston metropolitan area. The company deals primarily with small and medium-size businesses and consumers. Staying local has worked out well so far, but should Houston’s economy take a hit (as it has in early 2016 from falling oil prices), the company could find itself in trouble. To grow its community footprint, Allegiance is directing its efforts toward identifying and acquiring other banks in Houston. Note: employee count as of Dec. 31, 2015