Hoosier Banker 15 DAVID M. GEIS Jackson County Bank Seymour JAMES D. NEFF Horizon Bank Michigan City David M. Geis is past president/CEO and a current director of Jackson County Bank and of Bancorp. of Southern Indiana, Seymour. He joined JCB in 1976 and was promoted to president/CEO in 1980 at the age of 28, continuing in that role to his retirement in 2017. Geis previously served with Indiana National Bank and the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions. He has been active with community and professional organizations including Seymour Industrial Corp., the Jackson County Community Foundation, the Greater Seymour Trust Fund, the Greater Seymour Chamber of Commerce, Jackson County Industrial Development Corp., the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Independent Community Bankers of America. He led the Indiana Bankers Association as 2011 chairman and is a member of the IBA 40 Year Club. Geis is a graduate of Indiana University and completed the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin. James D. Neff has been serving as president of Horizon Bank, Michigan City, and Horizon Bancorp since 2018. He joined the bank in 1999 after prior service with First of America Bank, La Porte, where he began his career in 1978. Among other accomplishments, Neff has overseen the completion of 14 bank mergers and acquisitions. He is a member of the Purdue University Northwest Sinai Forum Advisory Board and the Michigan City Rotary Club; past president and campaign chairman of the Greater La Porte County United Way; and past associate member of the La Porte County Board of Realtors, La Porte County Home Builders Association and the Michigan City Community Development Corp. Neff has volunteered as a Salvation Army bell ringer for more than 25 years. He is a graduate of Purdue University North Central and the Leadership La Porte County program. Michael C. Rechin retired as president and CEO of First Merchants Bank, Muncie, at year-end 2020. During his tenure, he led the bank on a high-performance, high-growth track, overseeing nine bank acquisitions including expansion into Illinois and Michigan. Under Rechin’s leadership, the bank’s balance sheet grew from $3 billion to $14 billion, and the market value of the company grew nearly five times as of Dec. 31, 2020. The company has received multiple accolades including four “America’s Best Banks” awards from Forbes; recognition as “Indiana’s Best Bank” by Newsweek; and “Best Places to Work” honors in Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. In 2020, First Merchants announced a $1.4 billion investment to direct resources to underserved communities. Rechin has been active in community leadership and is a past board member of the Indiana Bankers Association. He earned bachelor’s and MBA degrees from Miami University of Ohio. MICHAEL C. RECHIN First Merchants Bank Muncie C. MICHAEL STEGALL Community First Bank of Indiana Kokomo C. Michael Stegall led the founding of Community First Bank of Indiana, Kokomo, in 2003 as the first new bank in Howard County in 50 years. He served as CEO and president until his retirement in 2015 and continues his service as a director of the bank and of Community First Financial Corporation. Stegall began his career in 1971 with First National Bank, Bloomington, and later moved to First National Bank & Trust, Kokomo. His community service includes leadership with the Community Foundation of Howard County, the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Group, the Kokomo CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) Program, United Way of Howard County, St. Joseph Hospital and the Greater Kokomo Chamber of Commerce. Stegall has been honored as a Sagamore of the Wabash and as a Distinguished Citizen of Howard County. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he is a graduate of Indiana University. HB Event photos on following pages. For more information, visit: indiana.bank/leaders-banking-excellence.
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