Leadership Built on Trust In the mid-2000s, Larry called Ben with a life-changing question: “I’m getting ready to retire. Do you want my job?” Ben said yes — with one condition. The small bank in Hale that he had spent so many years at would need to come with him. Ben worried that tiny banks, standing alone, wouldn’t survive long term. The solution was a merger, and in 2007, Ben moved to Carrollton and joined Carroll County Trust Company. Larry stayed on for a few years, and his leadership style ensured a seamless transition. “He told me, ‘Go make decisions and practice. If you hang yourself, you hang yourself. I’m here if you need me,’” Ben laughed. That trust shaped Ben’s own leadership philosophy: Empower people, let them grow and support them without micromanaging. Growing People, Not Just Banks Ask Ben what he enjoys most about his job, and he won’t mention titles or accomplishments. He’ll talk about his employees. “Watching people grow professionally and personally has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career,” Ben said. One of his proudest examples is Tracey Woodward, now president of the bank. She started as a college intern and teller, later joined Ben at the Hale bank, and eventually followed him to Carrollton. “Watching her grow, watching her succeed — that’s been one of the best parts of my job,” Ben said. “I like to think I played a small part in that.” Ben takes the same pride in watching customers succeed. He remembers a client who started with a modest $2,500 loan and, over the years, built businesses generating over a million dollars in annual revenue. “That first loan can change everything,” Ben said with a smile. To him, those stories are the heart of community banking. Facing Modern Banking Challenges While Ben’s heart is firmly rooted in tradition, his eyes are wide open to the future. Today’s banking challenges look very different from those he faced early in his career. Technology, particularly artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, weighs heavily on his mind. His attention to data protection, ransomware threats and how easily one wrong click can create chaos for banks and customers alike is always top of mind. “Money is data now,” he explained. “Our job is safeguarding people’s information.” “But this is an area where community banks shine. Knowing customers personally, educating them directly, and being available when something goes wrong gives banks like Carroll County Trust Company a meaningful advantage,” Ben said. Service Through MIBA Ben has been a member of the Missouri Independent Bankers Association (MIBA) for most of his banking career. In recent years, with strong leadership in place at his bank, he’s been able to become more involved, serving on committees and the board. He values MIBA’s advocacy, education and scholarship programs, but what stands out most to him are the people. “They’re just good people,” Ben said simply. That sense of shared purpose and community mirrors what he’s spent his entire career building at the local level. Family at the Center Family has always been at the core of Ben’s life. He and Leann raised three sons — Dallas, Spencer and Luke — all of whom live within a few miles of him today. After a few years of “empty nest,” Dallas and his daughter, Savannah, now 13, moved in with Ben and Leann, turning a quiet house into a lively home once again. Ben is learning first-hand the joys and challenges of raising a teenage girl — something he never expected after raising three boys. Add in three more grandchildren — a toddler, a baby, and a newly minted three-year-old — and Ben’s life is full in all the best ways. “I don’t know what I was thinking,” he jokes. “I should’ve skipped parenting and gone straight to being a grandpa.” A Life Well Lived Outside of banking, Ben enjoys restoring classic cars, riding his Harley on sunny days, hunting with dogs and getting lost in a good book. Whether it’s history, action novels or self-improvement, reading has always been his escape. You will often find Ben reading on his well-worn Kindle. When asked for some parting wisdom, Ben turns to one of his favorite figures, Benjamin Franklin. “Well done is better than well said,” he quotes. It’s a fitting reflection of his own life. Ben Polen doesn’t seek attention. He builds quietly, leads steadily and invests deeply — in people, in community and in the belief that relationships still matter. In community banking and in life, that may be the most valuable currency of all. The Show-Me Banker Magazine | 9
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