Get to Know Liberty Capital Bank

Holt Lunsford is the Executive Chairman of Holt Lunsford Commercial (HLC), a Texas‑based commercial real estate investment, development, and operating company. Under his leadership, HLC has grown into one of the region’s most respected real estate platforms, managing and leasing approximately 100 million square feet of industrial and multifamily assets on behalf of private and institutional partners. The firm is recognized for its disciplined investment strategy, operational excellence, and long‑standing capital relationships.

Holt is also the Chairman and Founder of Liberty Capital Bank, a relationship‑driven community bank serving business clients across the Dallas–Fort Worth and Central Texas markets. Through a combination of organic growth and strategic acquisitions, the bank has expanded to approximately $750 million in assets. Liberty Capital Bank reflects Holt’s entrepreneurial approach and his commitment to building organizations grounded in service, integrity, and long‑term partnership.

A respected thought leader in commercial real estate and banking, Holt has served as a guest lecturer at Harvard Business School and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He teaches case studies within the Harvard curriculum—including Holt Lunsford Commercial and Shady Trail—offering insight into entrepreneurial growth, capital markets, and value creation in real estate. He was inducted into the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors Hall of Fame in 2019 and has been recognized by D CEO’s Dallas 500 as one of “The Most Powerful Business Leaders in Dallas–Fort Worth.”

Deeply committed to community engagement, Holt serves on the Holdings Board of Baylor Scott & White Health and the Lunsford Family Foundation. He previously served as Chairman of the Board of The Real Estate Council and has also served on the Board of Abilene Christian University.

Ben Cunningham began his banking career in 1973 with Republic Bank before joining InterFirst Bank Addison in 1976, where he advanced through multiple leadership roles and ultimately became President. He later spent 18 years with Compass Bank, building deep expertise in commercial banking, community leadership, and relationship‑driven financial services. In 2008, Ben founded Liberty Capital Bank with a vision to create a locally focused, service‑centered financial institution rooted in integrity and long‑term partnerships. He holds a degree in Finance from the University of Texas at Dallas and is a graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU.

Throughout his career, Ben has been deeply engaged in the north Dallas and Addison communities. He has served as Chairman of the Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce, past President of the Addison Business Association, and is a long‑time member and past President of the Carrollton/Farmers Branch Rotary Club, where he is also recognized as a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow. In 2013, the Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce named him Citizen of the Year. Ben additionally serves on the board of WaterTower Theatre and maintains strong ties to Trinity Christian Academy, where his children attended and where his wife and daughter now teach.

Ben and his wife, Patty, have been married since 1974 and have been active members of their church since 1975. He has served on the elder board, chaired the Finance Committee, and currently chairs the Board of Trustees for the church’s defined benefit plan. Ben mentors young men in the congregation, volunteers in the special needs ministry, and supports the annual deacon development program. He and Patty are also actively involved with Joni & Friends, where Ben volunteers each summer at the organization’s family camp serving individuals with disabilities.

Tom Gilbert graduated from the University of North Texas with a BBA in Accounting and began his career with the Dallas CPA firm Saville, Dodgen & Company. He became a partner in 1983 and later served as the firm’s Managing Partner from 2003 to 2006. During his tenure, Tom specialized in income tax planning and compliance, as well as financial advisory services for closely held companies and high‑net‑worth individuals. In 2006, he joined the Mike and Mary Terry family as an advisor and financial consultant, ultimately serving as CFO/COO for the family’s holdings and operations. Although he retired from full‑time employment in 2014, Tom continues to advise the Terry family and provides strategic financial guidance to select families and privately held businesses.

Tom has long been active in nonprofit and community service. He and his wife, Laura, whom he married in 1978, enjoy mentoring pre‑married couples at Northwest Bible Church in Dallas. Their family is also engaged in the Gilbert Leadership Conference at Texas A&M University, an annual program for selected freshmen that emphasizes servant leadership, student involvement, and character development.

With decades of experience in accounting, financial management, and investment oversight—along with the trusted relationships he has built throughout his career—Tom brings valuable insight and strategic perspective to Liberty Capital Bank.

Steve Mack is a native Texan and a 43‑year community banker who currently serves as Regional President for Liberty Capital Bank’s South Texas market. Prior to joining Liberty Capital Bank, Steve spent more than three decades as Chairman and CEO of Texas Heritage Bank in Boerne, where he led the organization through sustained growth and strengthened its role as a trusted community institution. He began his banking career in 1982 with RepublicBank Dallas and has since built a distinguished record of leadership across multiple Texas markets. Over the course of his career, Steve has served on the boards of three community banks—Sanderson State Bank, First State Bank of Abernathy, and Texas Heritage Bank—bringing deep experience in governance, credit oversight, and strategic planning. He is a graduate of Abilene Christian University with a BBA in Finance.

Steve has been an active contributor to the banking industry statewide, serving on the Board of the Texas Bankers Association, the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, and the Bank Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, San Antonio Branch. He also served on the Board of Trustees for Abilene Christian University for 16 years.

Deeply committed to community service, Steve serves on the Board of Directors for the Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corporation and recently chaired the Boerne ISD Long Range Planning Committee. He and his wife, LaDonna, reside in San Antonio and are members of Currey Creek Church in Boerne. Their family includes five adult children and twelve grandchildren.

Alan began his banking career shortly after moving to Dallas in 2002, following his graduation from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Finance. He joined Liberty Capital Bank in 2013, drawn to the opportunity to be part of an entrepreneurial, relationship‑driven banking environment. Over the years, he has played a key role in the bank’s growth and strategic direction, ultimately assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer. Alan brings a strong commitment to community‑focused banking and a leadership style centered on integrity, service, and long‑term client partnerships.

Beyond his professional responsibilities, Alan is deeply involved in mission work in Cuba. Through his long‑standing connection with Northwest Bible Church, he has led multiple trips to support a network of house churches, many of which focus on hosting summer Bible programs for children. Alan enjoys spending time outdoors with friends and family and is actively engaged in his local community. He and his wife live in Lake Highlands with their two children.

Rick O’Brien joined Versatile Wealth Management in December 2024 as Chief Executive Officer. He brings over three decades of leadership experience across investment management, private equity, and operating businesses. Prior to joining Versatile, Rick served as Managing Director, President, and Chief Investment Officer at Hersh Capital Management from 2019 to 2024. Earlier, he led private equity investments at M Terry Enterprises from 2014 to 2018.

Before transitioning into investment leadership, Rick spent nearly two decades as an owner and operator of multiple businesses spanning manufacturing, distribution, home services, and mortgage servicing. He began his career in corporate development at Texas Instruments, where he focused on mergers and divestitures, and previously served as Assistant Vice President and corporate lender at NCNB, now part of Bank of America.

Rick is actively involved in corporate governance and currently serves on the boards of Liberty Capital Bank and Vinli. He has previously served on the boards or advisory boards of Bright Event Rentals, Blue Drake Capital, Veterans Venture Capital, and W North Funds I, II, and III. In addition, he has contributed to numerous nonprofit organizations, including The Hockaday School, Jesuit College Preparatory School, St. Paul Medical Foundation, and the UT Southwestern President’s Advisory Board.

Rick earned a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Rice University. He and his wife, Caroline, have four daughters.

Jeff is a partner in The Apartment Group, a multifamily investment company. Jeff is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with investors, multifamily sellers, and mortgage brokers. Jeff retired from full-time real estate investment sales at the end of 2024 having worked as a Managing Director for Walker & Dunlop, JLL, and his own multifamily brokerage company.

Jeff has over 40 years in the multifamily product sector including brokerage, property management, and investment. Jeff began his career at Arthur Young & Company and is a licensed CPA in the State of Texas. While at Arthur Young, Jeff audited manufacturing entities, real estate companies, banks, and savings and loans.

Jeff received his BBA in accounting from the University of Texas at Austin. Jeff is active in the Addison Rotary Club having served as past president and currently serves as fundraising chair for the Club’s annual golf tournament. Jeff is on the board of Ronald McDonald House of Dallas and the SMU Athletic Forum. Jeff has been married to Kellye for 45 years, has two married daughters and five grandchildren.

Michele R. Wheeler is President and Chief Operating Officer of Jackson‑Shaw, where she oversees the management, financial strategy, and operational execution of the company’s national real estate portfolio. Since joining Jackson‑Shaw in 2005, she has played a central role in guiding major financial transactions and organizational initiatives. Michele brings more than 28 years of experience in commercial real estate, beginning her career in 1987 with Rosewood Property Company.

Michele is an active leader within the commercial real estate community and has served on the advisory boards of The Real Estate Council and The Real Estate Council Foundation, becoming the first woman to chair TREC in 2009. Her professional affiliations include CREW, the AICPA, NAIOP, and the Real Estate Financial Executives Association. She also serves on the boards of the Jackson‑Shaw Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, and Circle of Support.

A graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University with a BBA in Marketing and Management, Michele is also a Certified Public Accountant. Her leadership has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Dallas Business Journal CFO of the Year and multiple honors from CREW Dallas.

Robin is a seasoned banking executive with more than four decades of leadership experience in commercial banking, specializing in building high-performing teams and delivering financial solutions to privately held businesses and their owners. Over the course of his career, he has played a pivotal role in shaping commercial banking strategies across multiple institutions and markets.

After earning his MBA from Oklahoma State University, Robin began his banking career in 1978 with First National Bank in Dallas. He later joined Mercantile Bank Lincoln Centre, where he became President and CEO in 1984. He went on to spend 17 years with the MBank/BankOne organization, serving as Southern Regional Executive with responsibility for Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. In this role, he led more than 400 commercial bankers and support staff while helping to build and scale the organization’s business banking platform.

In 2001, Robin joined Compass Bank as National Director of Commercial Banking, where he was responsible for organizing and expanding its commercial banking strategy ahead of the bank’s eventual sale to BBVA. He later served as President of Highlands Bank in Dallas, a startup institution, where he led both commercial and retail banking teams and established a culture of high performance prior to the bank’s successful sale in 2011.

Following that transition, Robin joined Liberty Capital Bank, partnering with longtime colleague Ben Cunningham to support the bank’s continued growth and development. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for his leadership, strategic vision, and commitment to relationship-driven banking.

Deeply engaged in the Dallas community, Robin has held leadership roles in numerous civic and professional organizations, including the American Bankers Association, The Cambridge School of Dallas, The Family Place, Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce, Northwest Bible Church, Oklahoma State University Alumni Board, Royal Oaks Country Club, Salesmanship Club, and the Southern Dallas Development Fund.

Robin and his wife have lived in Dallas for over 40 years. They are the proud parents of four children and grandparents to eight grandchildren.