BACKGROUND ON Ben Polen CEO, Carroll County Trust Company If you ask Ben Polen how long he’s been in community banking, he might pause for a moment, smile and then tell you he’s lost track of the exact number of years. What he won’t hesitate to tell you is why he’s stayed. For Ben, banking has never been about numbers alone. It’s about the people. It’s about the relationships built over decades, watching customers grow from their first small loan into thriving businesses, and seeing employees develop into confident leaders. It’s about showing up, day after day, in a community that feels like home. A Childhood on the Move Ben was born in Topeka, Kansas, but he didn’t stay put for long. His father was a Methodist minister, which meant the family moved about every five years to serve different congregations across eastern Kansas. At the time, moving wasn’t always easy. Leaving friends behind rarely is. But looking back, Ben sees it as a gift. Each move meant meeting new people, learning how to adapt and discovering that relationships don’t have to end just because geography changes. “It felt like a fresh start sometimes,” he recalls. “I ended up with more friends, not fewer.” Ben grew up in Ottawa, Overland Park and eventually Baxter Springs, where he graduated from high school. A Love Story and a Leap of Faith Ben met his wife, Leann, while they were both in college. “Our story sounds like something out of a movie,” Ben said. They met in February, and just a few months later, on Aug. 1, 1987, they were married. What followed was 35 years of marriage filled with family, shared dreams and a true partnership. Ben fondly speaks of Leann with deep gratitude and love, acknowledging both the joy of what they had and the heartbreak of losing her to cancer two years ago. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about her,” he said. “But I was incredibly blessed. A lot of people don’t get what we had at all, let alone for 35 years.” Together, they built a life rooted in commitment, resilience and faith — values that continue to guide Ben today. Discovering Community Banking After college, with a baby on the way and a job opportunity in front of them, Ben and Leann moved to Hale, Missouri, a town of about 500 people. “The streets weren’t even paved, and at first, it felt very small,” Ben said. But that little town became home for 17 years — and it is where Ben truly fell in love with community banking. The job itself came through a connection with Larry Freeman, then president of Carroll County Trust Company, and a long-time family friend who would eventually become Ben’s mentor. Before ever stepping into banking full-time, Ben sought Larry out to learn what the profession really involved. That early guidance turned into a lasting professional relationship built on trust and mutual respect. Over time, Ben learned that community banking wasn’t just about managing money. It was about being present in people’s lives, financing first homes, first trucks, first businesses and sometimes just offering steady reassurance during uncertain times. 8 | The Show-Me Banker Magazine
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