James Landen: Continuing a Family Legacy in Banking and SMU

This week on SMU Stories, we sat down with James Landen Jr., SMU alumnus (Class of 2010) and Chief Revenue Officer & Market President at Security National Bank of Texas, a proud sponsor of the 1911 Group. James Landen’s connection to Southern Methodist University (SMU) runs deep. It began with his parents, who graduated in 1982, and extended to their two younger siblings. Since then, roughly 25 family members have earned degrees from SMU. James’s father left the cold winters of Nebraska for Dallas, while his mother, originally from South Arkansas, was an early decision to Vanderbilt but ultimately chose SMU. James became the first in his generation to attend SMU, and he estimates about 15 of his peers in the family now hold SMU degrees.

Growing up in Nebraska, James considered leaving the state for college, exploring schools like Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, and Saint Louis University. Ultimately, his choice came down to Wake Forest and SMU, but merit scholarships and family ties in Dallas made SMU the natural choice.

Career Path and Advice

At SMU, James pursued the business school track, taking classes in accounting, finance, and “Management of Financial Institutions,” which sparked his interest in banking. Though encouraged by his grandparents and mentors to attend law school, James realized during his second semester of senior year that his true passion lay in banking, prompting him to pivot away from the legal path.

James offers advice to young people entering the banking industry:

• Join a large enterprise and “be a sponge,” learning as much as possible by working hard.

• Find a mentor you admire—a leader who will invest in your growth and teach you how to succeed.

• Consider starting as a credit analyst, which he describes as “getting paid to get an MBA” while learning how businesses operate.

Before starting his full-time career, James completed several internships, mostly at Security National Bank, established by his grandfather in 1964, except for his final internship at Bank of Texas. Following family tradition, his first job at Security National Bank was in the maintenance department—a role he struggled with, which motivated him to work harder academically.

After graduating from SMU, James joined Bank of America in a management training program focused on corporate audit. Over four and a half years, he rotated through audit, risk, compliance, and credit, gaining exposure to acquisitions such as Merrill Lynch and Countrywide. This experience provided a strong foundation, allowing him to understand both the front-end and back-end of banking operations.

James transitioned to Veritex to pursue relational banking rather than transactional work, which he had become passionate about. His connection with Malcolm Holland, whom he met at the U.S. Senior Open in 2012, eventually led to his position at Veritex, where he demonstrated initiative by documenting meetings and research in a detailed notebook, ultimately creating the opportunity to become a banker.

He emphasizes the value of staying connected with SMU, noting that involvement with the athletic department and the Mustang Club board has been one of the most impactful choices in his career.

Security National Bank and the Dallas Market

James is now Chief Revenue Officer and Texas Market President for Security National Bank, a third-generation, family-owned bank founded in 1964. His father led the bank for about 30 years alongside his uncle, and James’s cousins now serve as COO and Nebraska Market President.

While his ultimate goal was always to join the family business, the bank had no Dallas location during James’s early career. In 2019, the board decided to expand into the Dallas market, and James was tapped to lead the new operation. The move was driven by the increasing consolidation of privately held banks and a growing need for relational banking services in the area.

Security National Bank is nationally chartered, a decision made 60 years ago by James’s grandfather to ensure regulation by the “toughest governing body,” which has enabled expansion into Iowa and Texas. James began the Dallas branch in a small glass office at Spaces on McKenna Avenue. When COVID-19 hit, the team focused on processing PPP loans, with approximately 60% of those loan customers becoming core clients.

Security National Bank Today

Today, Security National Bank manages about $1 billion in bank assets and approximately $2.7 billion in wealth and trust assets, making it uniquely positioned to serve both commercial and private clients. The bank handles commercial lending up to $20–25 million and provides comprehensive services to private banking customers, including family planning, generational wealth management, and support for family-owned businesses.

James notes that clients in Dallas consistently value continuity and less “absentee ownership.” Security National Bank has built a team and operations around these principles. In Dallas, the bank now has 30 team members serving a couple of hundred clients and recently surpassed $500 million in loan fundings.

Tune in as James Landen, Jr. discusses Security National Bank’s expansion into the Dallas market in 2019, the bank’s role in supporting local businesses through PPP lending during the pandemic, and how a focus on continuity, local decision-making, and long-term relationships continues to drive growth across North Texas.

Available on:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6oPlf4TNn71lEolpYm6NeC?si=_KlNVcoXQbmCIvht1ERIKQ
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-power-of-continuity-scaling-security-national/id1766308817?i=1000747216310
YouTube: https://youtu.be/mYO18fRjJ30