Hoosier Banker 15 a bigger crowd, so it keeps bringing our children back. “Roy and I like to travel, and our whole family also has the travel bug. For our 35th wedding anniversary, Roy and I went to France to the Champagne and Burgundy regions. Last year he and I went with our daughter and older son to South Africa for an animal-watching safari. “The safari wasn’t even on my top 10 list of things I wanted to do, but it was awesome. We thought of it as a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but we all said we’d do it again.” HB Many of them would not be in business had it not been for the bank that made them the loan to enable them get started, or gave them the loan that helped them expand. Also in banking, you get to develop lifelong friendships through the people you work with, other people in the industry and your customers. “Young people today want to make a difference and want their work to be meaningful. They will be a making a positive impact on the world because of that.” What advice would you offer to young bankers at the start of their careers? “Definitely develop your technical skills, but also develop those soft skills. Emotional intelligence, empathy, communication and teamwork are absolutely critical for success and will determine whether you get promoted and can advance your career. “I would also say that the ability to adapt and reinvent yourself is important. The banking industry, like all industries, is changing at warp speed. We can’t get too comfortable with where we are, because tomorrow it’s going to look different. So being adaptable and learning continually will be important if you want to be successful in banking.” Please tell a bit about your homelife and pastimes. “I am blessed to be married to Roy, my high school sweetheart. We’ve been married 37 years, and my husband is a tremendous support for me. “Roy is a sales manager, selling machines that make paper plates for a thirdgeneration, family-owned business. It isn’t his family, but he’s been there going on 40 years. “We have three adult children. Ethan is a CPA for RSM, and he’s also in the Army Reserve. He and his wife Casey live in Chicago. “Our daughter Emily is a cardiac ICU nurse in Pittsburgh at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. And our older son is Father Royce Gregerson, a Roman Catholic priest in the Fort Wayne/South Bend diocese. Active with the Indiana Bankers Association, Karen Gregerson is a frequent visitor to IBA headquarters. VIDEO BONUS “Reading Champions” tells the story of volunteers from The Farmers Bank, Frankfort, who work with local thirdgraders to help them become champions of reading. Click on the video icon in HB Digital to view, or visit: indianabankers.org/ commitment-community “What I’m most proud of with our children is they all chose careers of helping others. I tell people who have younger children that it is such a good feeling when your children are able to get into careers that they love. “For family activities, we are all foodies. We love preparing meals together and, of course, eating them. We also love playing euchre and any other card and board games. “Our favorite place to gather is at our lake house in LaGrange County. It’s a little more central for everybody and can accommodate
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