Russell Vest - 2026 Distinguished Alumni

Hockley County Credit Union CEO Russell Vest has experienced firsthand the impact that South Plains College and the Levelland community have on a person’s trajectory. Now a banking professional, he strives to give the next generation of students the same care he received.

Graduating high school in 1982 as a Levelland native, Russell knew SPC was the next step for fostering a fulfilling livelihood. The hospitable people who work across campus and in the nearby community make the College a home, not just an educational institution.

“The tight-knit community is definitely a positive trait,” he said. “You can tell who is an SPC Texan when you talk to people. You don't have to ask them if they graduated from SPC; you'll see it in their loyalty and how they handle themselves.”

Since moving to Levelland in 1973, Russell never wanted to leave, especially with SPC’s proximity allowing him to take classes in the morning and work at Texas American Bank in the afternoon. His work prompted his switch from studying engineering to accounting. Earning an associate degree in accounting from SPC in 1984 helped him in many areas of his first bank job.

“I was fortunate to have an accounting degree from SPC,” he said. “I was able to work in different departments, and the accounting education helped a lot with that.”

Russell also earned SPC’s 1984 Business Administration Award and secured a spot in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Like most SPC alumni, he recalls the smaller class sizes, welcoming campus community, and personable faculty who prepared him for the workforce.

From his siblings, who worked at SPC and eventually retired, to his children, many members of Russell’s family attended the institution and remember its great qualities. He said these campus benefits have endured years after he graduated, giving him another reason to tell his grandkids to enroll in the College.

“My children knew they wanted to be at SPC, and they all went there and were successful,” he said.

Russell credits SPC’s leadership and employees for the student body’s ongoing success. Noteworthy professors, including Richard James, Robert Pearce, and Tommy Dunn, were professional and available to talk with Russell when he had questions. His SPC experience made communicating with Texas Tech University professors easier and prepared him for class sizes at a large institution.

Earning a degree from SPC not only prepared Russell for his transition to a university but also advanced his banking career.

Through the close connections he made during his 12 years of service at Texas American Bank, Russell became the top contender for CEO of Hockley County School Employees Credit Union in 1994 after Raymond "Duke" Sonnenburg’s retirement. He has led a growing team of banking professionals, serving more than 4,500 members and increasing the credit union’s assets from $8 million to more than $46 million. Under Russell’s leadership, the credit union received SPC’s 2010 Pacesetter Award for its ongoing support of SPC students.

“We're blessed by our members,” he said. “We've been fortunate to grow to the position that we’re in and to bless others.”

When not working, Russell and his family love attending SPC fundraising events, including the Scholarship Galas and Scholarship Scramble golf tournaments. He continues serving his alma mater as treasurer of the SPC Foundation Board of Directors, helping the Foundation award more than $1.4 million in scholarships last academic year.

“The biggest difference from when I went to school is the scholarship availability,” he said. “I have been affiliated with the Foundation, and we take pride in saying that almost any student who will apply for a scholarship will receive a scholarship.”

In addition to advocating for scholarship funding, Russell supports SPC culinary arts and teacher education students through the Johnny and Darlene Vest Memorial Scholarship, an endowment honoring his late parents. He understands the importance of remembering the people who funded his education and giving back to others when the opportunity arises.

“Being an SPC distinguished alumnus means that I’ve been fortunate to be in the right place, be blessed by the people I've been around, and be successful in the field that I’m in,” Russell said. “But the most important part of the honor is being blessed by the community and the people whom I work with.”