SECTION 16
POWER OF ATTORNEY

	Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints Lindsey Bailes, Joel Ghrist and Michelle Cole signing singly, the
undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

	(1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned`s
 capacity as an officer and/or director of Southside Bancshares, Inc. (the
`Company`), Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

	(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned
which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such
Form 3, 4, or 5 and timely file such form with the Securities and Exchange
 Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and

	(3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit
to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned,
it being understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact
on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be
in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such
attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-fact`s discretion.

	The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power
and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever
 requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of
the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes
 as the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power
 of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that
such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-facts substitute or substitutes,
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney
and the rights and powers herein granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that
 the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request
of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the
 undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect
to the undersigned?s holdings of and transactions in securities issued by
the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing
delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.  In affixing his or her
signature to this Power of Attorney, the undersigned hereby revokes any
and all previously executed Powers of Attorney for the same or similar
purposes.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
 executed as of this 8th day of May, 2024.



						/s/ Preston L. Smith