Two Inspiring Women of Paris in Leadership

 From L-R.  Kaylee Tipton, Charlotte McChesney, Casi Burchinal, Lauren Wilson

Photo Cred: FWIT Dallas

Two local women were recognized and sworn in as the newly elected President and Treasurer for the Financial Women in Texas (FWIT) – Dallas Group. Casi Burchinal, is a Vice President at Lamar National Bank, and Lauren Wilson, is a Vice President and Branch Manager of the Lamar Ave location of Lamar National Bank.

FWIT brings together women in finance for the exchange of ideas, experiences and interests. They serve as an advocate of and to promote improvements in the professional development, leadership skills, education and training of women in finance.

In the early 20th century, a group of women started the National Association of Bank Women (NABW) which later changed its name to Financial Women International (FWI) to encompass more areas of the financial services industry. In 2009 FWI made the tough decision to close their doors due to dwindling membership across the country. At that time the Texas District of FWI chose to form a new association and continue the mission. With the help of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas and many other partners’ support, they did just that. Now in their fifteenth year, FWIT has local Groups in ten locations throughout Texas as well as an eleventh online Virtual Group for connecting when there is no Group in that geographic area.

Casi has served the last two years as the FWIT – Dallas Group Vice-President and Lauren has served the last two years as the Treasurer of the group. Both were sworn in at a luncheon ceremony held at the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas on August 15th. Casi will now serve at the President and Lauren will continue as the Treasurer, for the next two-year term.

Casi said “it was an inspiring event with 63 remarkable women of the FWIT Dallas Group present at the luncheon. The event was a fantastic opportunity to network, share insights, and celebrate the achievements of women in finance. The energy in the room was palpable, and it was truly uplifting to see so many talented individuals coming together.”

She gave a special thank you to the luncheon speaker Laila Assanie, for sharing her wisdom and experiences. A special thanks to Judy Helm for her dedication and paving the way for continued success, and a thank you to the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank for hosting the Group.

“I am thrilled to be serving as President alongside an incredible group of women on the newly appointed board for the Financial Women in Texas (FWIT) Dallas Group! Charlotte McChesney as the new Vice President, Kaylee Tipton as the new Secretary, and Lauren Wilson who continues to show her leadership and experience as a second term Treasurer.

Together, we’re committed to empowering and uplifting women in finance across the Dallas area. This is a fantastic opportunity to collaborate, learn, and grow together. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish in the coming year!” Casi

Casi also said as the Dallas Group President, her Group will be highly involved with coordinating and hosting the FWIT 2025 Annual Conference to be held in the Dallas area next fall.

Lamar National Bank has locations locally in Paris and Reno, as well as locations in Celina, Frisco, North Lake, Anna, and a Loan Production Office in Bryan, TX.

eExtraNews would like to congratulate these two Inspirational Women in our community for representing Paris, being Leadership examples for women, and as a Girl Dad, being role models for my daughters. Casi has three daughters – Addisyn (14), Alyvia (11), and Avery (9). Lauren is showing her two sons, Brayden (19) and Corbin (17), that she isn’t just a mom, she’s an Empowering Woman in Business.

Written by: JD Marrs

Photo Cred: FWIT Dallas