OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF KANSAS BANKERS ASSOCIATION GOVERNMENT OVERREACH Triggers KBA’s Formation of Free Market Kansans JANUARY/FEBRUARY ISSUE 1 2024
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© 2024 Kansas Bankers Association | The newsLINK Group, LLC. All rights reserved. The Kansas Banker is published six times each year by The newsLINK Group, LLC for the KBA and is the official publication for this association. The information contained in this publication is intended to provide general information for review, consideration and education. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney as to your circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Kansas Bankers Association, its board of directors, or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements within this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any product or service advertised. The Kansas Banker is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of the Kansas Bankers Association. While the The Kansas Banker encourages a first-print policy, in cases where this is not possible, every effort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restrictions. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission. For further information, please contact the publisher at 855.747.4003. CONTENTS President’s Message 6 Government Overreach Triggers KBA’s Formation of Free Market Kansans By Doug Wareham, KBA President & CEO Washington Update 8 Against a Rising Tide of Regulation, Banks Must Row Together By Rob Nichols, President and CEO, American Bankers Association 10 NXTSTAGE Financial Technology Pilot Competition 13 Galen “Digger” Liggett Receives 50 Year Club Award 13 2024 CEO & Senior Management Summit & Annual Meeting 14 Get One-On-One Support for Chronic Health Conditions Disease Management Programs Can Be Life-Altering By Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas 16 2024 MOKAN Trust & Financial Services Conference 17 Picturing Kansas 18 KBA Announces 2024 BLOK Class 25 2024 Calendar 26 2024 Conference Preview 27 2024 Women in Banking Conference 27 2024 Kansas Ag Bankers Conference 13 14 Cover Photo taken by Jess Haines, First Bank Kansas, Salina Executive Doug Wareham, President & CEO Kathy Taylor, EVP, General Counsel Terri D. Thomas, EVP, COO Administration Alex Orel, SVP, Government Relations Eric Stofer, SVP, Chief Financial Officer Sara Blubaugh, SVP, Administration & Board Secretary Julie Taylor, VP, Computer & Information Systems Kelly VanZwoll, JD, VP, Staff Attorney & Gov’t Relations J.W. Wells, Ag Division Coordinator/ Government Relations Assistant Communications & Marketing Mary Taylor, SVP, Director of Communications & Marketing Bree Hull, AVP, Communications & Marketing Rayanna Breshears, Communications & Marketing Intern Education and Conferences Brenda L. Unruh, SVP, Director, Education & Conferences/Strategic Partnerships LeAnn Mott, VP, Education & Conferences Natalie Wareham, AVP, Education & Conferences Alana Seelbach, AVP, Administration & Special Projects Rayanna Breshears, Communications & Marketing Intern Insurance Alex Greig, President, KBA Insurance Inc. Kent Owens, SVP, KBA Insurance Inc. Elizabeth Roche, SVP, Employee Benefits Administration Jenny Figge, SVP, Operations Cari Charter, AVP, KBA Insurance Inc. Cole Thompson, AVP, KBA Insurance Inc. Clinton Moore, KBA Insurance Inc. Legal/Compliance Jackie Kuhn, JD, VP, Staff Attorney Gwen Hill, JD, VP, Staff Attorney Jamie Sheik, JD, VP, Legal Dept. Manager Dylan Serrault, JD, VP, CFBS Manager Bobby Young, JD, VP, Staff Attorney Adeel Syed, JD, VP, Staff Attorney Neal Barclay, AVP, Compliance Specialist/Auditor Jeff Narron, AVP, Compliance Specialist/Auditor Kerry Clark, JD, Staff Attorney & Publications Editor Lewis Walton, JD, Compliance Specialist/Auditor Heather Williams, Compliance Operations Specialist/Auditor Sarah Weltmer, Compliance Operations Specialist Lindsay Bryant, Compliance Operations Specialist, Auditor Shannon Capps, Compliance Operations Specialist, Auditor Meridith DeForest, Administrative Legal Assistant Sarah Lynch-Chaput, Legal Intern Gabe Walker, Legal Intern Tom Thomsen, Legal Intern
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Government Overreach Triggers KBA’s Formation of Free Market Kansans ushing back on BIG GOVERNMENT policymakers intent on placing new burdens and/or restrictions on the banking industry continues to consume more and more time for KBA’s Leadership and Government Relations staff team. The list of harmful proposals coming out of Washington, D.C., since 2020 is daunting, ranging from the CFPB’s 1071 small business reporting rule to restrictions on bank service fee income, such as overdraft protection, to mandates impacting how banks provide and cover costs associated with their credit card programs. This is just a small sampling of proposals that will directly and negatively impact the banking industry if the BIG GOVERNMENT advocates win. But it’s not just banks that will lose income, lose options and lose control if these measures are adopted. Consumers will lose, too! I’m closing in on my 20th year as a member of the KBA staff team, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned traversing the state and calling on banks from St. Francis to Baxter Springs and from Wathena to Syracuse, it’s that Kansas banks genuinely care about and look out for their customers. Every time I sit across from the desk of a Kansas banker, I hear success stories of individuals and businesses in their communities or about the latest community development project the bank is helping to spearhead. These visits confirm the close working relationship between Kansas bankers and their customers. Whether it’s keeping an eye out for the latest consumer fraud tactic, encouraging a family-owned business or farm to plan P By Doug Wareham, KBA President & CEO PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 6
and strategize for a generational leadership transition and, yes, apprising customers of harmful policies being touted by the BIG GOVERNMENT crowd in Washington, Kansas bankers are increasingly on guard not simply for the bank, but for their customers too. Kansas bankers educating and informing their customers of misguided legislation or regulations emitting from Washington, D.C., reached a fever-pitch I hadn’t seen before in 2021 when a federal legislative proposal surfaced that would have forced banks to share customer data on accounts with total annual deposits or withdrawals of more than $600 to the Internal Revenue Service. When this proposal was gaining traction in Congress, the banking industry educated the masses and led to the IRS reporting proposal being shelved, with strong opposition coming from federal lawmakers from both political parties. The pushback on the IRS reporting proposal was an important lesson for me and, I believe, for our industry. With an ever-increasing number of legislative and regulatory proposals negatively impacting banks and bank customers, last fall, KBA’s Board of Directors directed your KBA staff team to establish a consumer-focused non-profit platform designed to educate Kansans on any proposed policy that will restrict their control of personal financial decisions or jeopardize the safety and security of their personal financial information. Free Market Kansans (a 501 C 4 non-profit) launched on Jan. 8, and the new platform is now actively educating Kansas consumers of ill-advised proposals that expand government overreach into the personal financial decisions and free-market options available to every Kansan. I hope you’ll check out www.freemarketkansans.org to learn more, and I hope we can count on you to spread the word on FMK to your bank colleagues and your bank customers. “We who live in free market societies believe that growth and prosperity, and ultimately human fulfillment, are created from the bottom up, not the government down.” — President Ronald Reagan 7
Against a Rising Tide of Regulation, Banks Must Row Together WASHINGTON UPDATE henever a new election cycle comes along, it’s not uncommon to hear pundits make mention of “red waves” or “blue waves,” denoting potential power swings in Congress. But as bankers contemplate the future of our country and the policy environment that will shape the future of our industry, there’s another wave that we need to talk about: a tsunami of complex regulation that is hitting the banking sector as we speak. To be sure, the tide turned quickly: last year’s turbulent spring ignited a rulemaking frenzy at the banking agencies. Suddenly, new proposals sprang up to increase bank capital levels, impose a new long-term debt requirement and make the resolution planning process more complex. Simultaneously, the CFPB imposed long-awaited small business reporting requirements under Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act — which went far above and beyond what was outlined in the statute. The Federal Reserve issued a proposal to cap interchange fees under Regulation II, and the FDIC is now pursuing significant changes to its corporate governance guidelines. W Against all that, the agencies finalized a long-awaited update to the Community Reinvestment Act framework — a staggeringly complex, 1,500-page final rule that creates significant new requirements that have the potential to fundamentally alter banks’ business strategies. Meanwhile, in Congress, banks are facing the resurgent threat of the so-called “Credit Card Competition Act,” which would apply Durbin Amendment-like provisions to credit cards — the equivalent of lawmakers taking money from banks and putting it into the cash registers of mega-retailers. Taken together, these policies place a tremendous cost and compliance burden on banks of all sizes — at a time when they are already facing a tough operating environment due to a protracted period of high interest rates and ongoing geopolitical tensions. These policies will also have devastating effects on consumers. Banking is, after all, a business — and in order for banks to offer the full range of financial products and services to meet the needs of communities, they need to be profitable and have an operating environment that supports growth. The current regulatory landscape will do the opposite. Banks that are already considered well-capitalized by regulators’ own admission will be forced to hold even more capital in reserve — which means less capital will be available to lend to the local small business looking to expand or to the young family looking to buy their first home. Simultaneously, changes to the fee income streams upon which banks have long depended could spell the end of free or low-cost checking products and popular rewards programs that consumers value. By Rob Nichols, President and CEO, American Bankers Association The sobering reality for banks right now is that rougher seas are likely ahead — but our best hope is to row together. 8
What’s perhaps most concerning, however, is the fact that regulators don’t seem to understand the full impact of their actions. As we observed with the Reg II rulemaking and the so-called “Basel III endgame” proposal, regulators are failing to adequately assess the potential costs of the individual regulations on banks and consumers — let alone contemplate what the cumulative impact of all these rules would be. ABA is sounding the alarm. We need to make sure policymakers in Washington — from members of the administration to lawmakers in Congress to the regulators holding the rule-writing pens — understand that the regulatory burden has a real-world cost, not just for banks, but for consumers, small businesses and the American economy. If you’re reading this, I urge you to help us tell that story. Join our Bank Ambassador program to rekindle relationships with your congressional delegation and help educate policymakers about banking. Stay informed and send a letter about an issue that will affect your bank through ABA’s grassroots platform, SecureAmericanOpportunity.com. Make a plan to come to the nation’s capital in March for the ABA Washington Summit and tap a colleague or two to come along. The sobering reality for banks right now is that rougher seas are likely ahead — but our best hope is to row together. Email Rob at nichols@aba.com. To learn more about the Bank Ambassador program, email ABA’s Laura Lily at llily@aba.com. More opti ons for your customers, without more risk to your bank. Why Partner With Us? Ag Resource Management offers an innovative solution to lenders by mitigating your risks with watch list and non-performing loans. We can help you take these assets off of your balance sheet and increase your lending ability. We achieve this with a blend of proprietary technology and data validation in valuing a growing crop, monitoring that crop, and keeping track of collateral as it approaches maturity. Loans are processed swiftly and we communicate with you throughout the process. We’re just a call away. Get started today with our teams in Kansas. Ryan Schreibvogel 1805 East Mary Street, Suite B Garden City, KS 67846 (620) 371-4858 RSchreibvogel@armlend.com Wade Simpson 7505 NW Tiffany Springs Pkwy. Suite 220 Kansas City, MO 64153 (816) 226-4574 WSimpson@armlend.com ARM is an equal opportunity provider. 9
icking off the end of the year, NXTUS and Premier Sponsors — Emprise Bank, INTRUST Bank and Kansas Bankers Association — announced seven winners of the 2023 NXTSTAGE Financial Technology Pilot Competition. Leading fintech startups from five states and Canada pitched at the showcase event, offering their next-generation solutions to help regional banks, credit unions and financial services businesses improve identity verification, offer new digital tools to customers, link in with their small-business clients’ financial information, and expand lending and services to rural and urban underserved community segments. Similar to ABC’s “Shark Tank,” the event included threeminute pitches from each finalist. Then, the Premier Sponsors provided remarks on their innovation goals and revealed which finalists they would continue to work with as prospective technology partners. Emprise Bank praised the whole finalist cohort and announced they are pursuing a project with PitaTech, which offers a targeted solution for lenders needing to search equipment lien records. “Embracing innovation is pivotal to our future growth, and we remain committed to supporting innovators and building the ecosystem,” said Matt Michaelis, Chairman, President and CEO of Emprise Bank. “We take great pride in nurturing the next wave of financial innovators in many ways, including by offering guidance on core capabilities essential for creating a market-ready product that enables us to empower our customers to thrive. We will continue to engage with PitaTech as they build their capabilities, working toward a potential pilot program.” INTRUST Bank announced they will be working with V2verify to potentially implement their voice authentication solution and ForeSight, which enhances banks’ loan evaluations and reduces drop-offs among loan applicants, who can get mired in current processes. “We see fostering innovation as a key to serving our customers and communities NXTSTAGE Financial Technology Pilot Competition K well,” said Steve Castro-Miller, Managing Director of Technology of INTRUST Bank. “The NXTSTAGE program continues to bring great ideas and new approaches to Kansas, and we are pleased to help these entrepreneurs get the exposure to decision-makers that they need to continue to improve their products and approaches.” The Kansas Bankers Association has selected ASA Technologies, Pebble Plan, Railz and V2verify as their organization’s winners. Each of these winning firms receives a feature article in The Kansas Banker magazine, as well as a complimentary one-year associate KBA membership. “Each of the finalists offers relevant tools that can help our member banks innovate and compete, but these four rose to the top as most promising solutions for banks across the state to better serve their clients and promote growth for their communities,” said Doug Wareham, President & CEO of the Kansas Bankers Association. “I want to thank the leaders from these KBA member banks for serving on the task force that helped choose KBA’s winners: Bank of Commerce, Bank of the Plains, First Heritage Bank, NBKC Bank and Union State Bank.” About KBA’s Winners ASA Technologies is revolutionizing banking by offering a new way for community and regional banks to provide fintech experiences directly to retail and business customers without one-to-one fintech integrations. ASA’s flagship offering, the ASA Vault, is a fintech app store specifically designed for banking. With ASA Vault, fintechs no longer take business from banks. ASA sits between banks and fintechs, allowing customers to access, permit and use technology apps without sharing personally identifiable information. This places ASA and its banking partners in a position to comply with regulatory data, privacy and security proposals. Pebble Plan gives banks a low-cost/ high-return opportunity to de-risk their small business loan portfolios while strengthening client relationships, increasing community engagement and providing a unique set of compliance 10
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Galen “Digger” Liggett Receives 50 Year Club Award ongratulations to Galen “Digger” Liggett on his 50 years in banking! Digger started his banking career on Dec. 17, 1973. From 1973 to 2003, he served in numerous positions, such as bookkeeper, teller, loan officer and vice president at Farmers National Bank in Lincoln. From 2003 to 2010, he was a loan officer, senior vice president and then director at Midwest Community Bank in Lincoln. From 2010 to now, Digger served as a loan officer and is retiring as the vice president of the Citizens State Bank & Trust Co. in Lincoln. Digger has also served on numerous boards, including 40 years as treasurer for the city of Lincoln, 25-year volunteer as an C EMR for Lincoln County EMS, 37-year member of the Lincoln Lions Club, 14-year board member of the Lincoln County Hospital Board, 15-year volunteer for the Lincoln County Rescue Squad, served time on the Chamber of Commerce board and was the 2016 Chamber of Commerce Member of the Year. Congratulations on this achievement and a well deserved retirement! 13
t’s likely you or a person you know is living with a chronic health condition, like heart disease or diabetes. In fact, 6 in 10 Americans live with at least one chronic condition, like certain cancers, stroke, hypertension or high cholesterol. Chronic diseases are among the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. These conditions have a significant impact on a person’s physical and emotional health and well-being. At the workplace, chronic conditions keep employees from performing their best and result in increased absenteeism, reduced productivity and more. I Various factors contribute to the prevalence of chronic diseases, including lifestyle choices and genetics. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment: • Approximately 1 in 9 Kansas adults (ages 18 and older) has been diagnosed with diabetes. It is linked to many serious health complications, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney failure, neuropathy and amputations. • Approximately 1 in 3 Kansas adults has been diagnosed with hypertension or high blood pressure. People with hypertension are at higher risk for heart attack, stroke, chronic heart failure and kidney disease. • Approximately 2 in 5 Kansas adults have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, which puts them at twice the risk for developing heart disease. • Approximately 1 in 25 Kansas adults has been diagnosed with heart disease. Heart disease refers to several types of heart conditions, the most common being coronary artery disease, which causes heart attacks, angina and heart failure. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Kansas. Some risk factors for heart disease and diabetes are beyond an individual’s control. But most chronic diseases can be prevented or managed by eating well, being physically active and avoiding alcohol and excessive drinking. Regular health screenings are also important. Get One-On-One Support for Chronic Health Conditions Disease Management Programs Can Be Life-Altering By Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Disease and wellness management programs play a crucial role in helping people manage chronic conditions and improve the quality of their lives. 14
Try the Plate Method Eating healthy may be the most important — and most challenging — place to start. One strategy to try is the Plate Method, a method endorsed by the American Diabetes Association but useful to anyone who is trying to eat healthier. It’s a simple, stress-free way to plan portions without counting, measuring or calculating. Using a nine-inch plate at mealtime: • Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, salad greens, carrots or cauliflower. • Fill one-quarter of your plate with high-protein foods, such as fish, chicken or meats, or plant-based proteins, such as beans, hummus or lentils. • Fill the last quarter of your plate with carbohydrate foods, such as starchy vegetables (like potatoes) and fruits. The goal of this method is to have vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans make up most of each meal. 15
When it comes to fats, focus on adding healthy fats (like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) to lower your cholesterol and protect your heart. Healthy fats can be found in foods like olive oil, nuts, avocados, some types of fish and many other foods. Disease Management Programs Provide Personalized Support Disease and wellness management programs play a crucial role in helping people manage chronic conditions and improve the quality of their lives. These types of programs may be available as part of your health insurance plan. With a disease management program, a registered nurse is assigned to the patient and contacts the individual via phone. Typically, phone calls are 30 minutes or less and are scheduled monthly for 12-15 months. Disease management programs can be life-changing, providing accountability and motivation to people with chronic diseases and helping them manage their condition by: • Empowering them to learn about and guide their own health. • Allowing them time to share their health journey. • Supporting without judgment. • Building confidence by setting small but impactful goals. • Finding and addressing gaps in care. • Providing medication guidance. • Helping the patient track labs and collaborate with providers. • Celebrating wins. Patients who are enrolled in disease management programs are not obligated to continue and can opt-out at any time. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas members have access to disease and wellness management programs to help them live better with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), high blood pressure and high cholesterol. We also have programs to guide you through pregnancy, tobacco cessation, weight management and stress management. Let us help. Our registered nurses offer individualized support, coaching and education. For more information, contact your Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas representative today. To enroll in a disease management program, call (800) 520-3137 or visit www.bcbsks.com/behealthy to learn more. These programs are available to members who have Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas as their primary carrier. Ages vary by program. Sources Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Kansas Department of Health and Environment Diabetes.org 16
Picturing Kansas Tracy Dockter of United Bank & Trust, Marysville, captured this beautiful sunset along Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake near Westmoreland. HOW DO YOU PICTURE KANSAS? We want your snapshots of Kansas events, landscapes, weather, wildlife and more. Pictures to be submitted for the 2025 calendar need to be taken from June 1, 2023-May 24, 2024. Email highresolution digital files (300 dpi at 4” x 6” in TIFF or JPEG format) to Julie Taylor at jtaylor@ksbankers.com. To order official KBA “Scenes of Kansas” calendars, contact Julie Taylor at jtaylor@ksbankers.com. 17
KBA Announces 2024 BLOK Class ow in its 18th year, the Bank Leaders of Kansas (BLOK) Program is a leadership development program coordinated by the Kansas Bankers Association. The BLOK program is designed to improve the leadership skills of Kansas bankers and accomplishes that goal through four primary objectives: • To increase the individual banker’s understanding and knowledge of the structure and governance of the KBA, including a complete overview of programs, services and representation provided by the KBA. • To increase the individual banker’s understanding of the state and federal legislative process and increase their willingness to actively support and defend the Kansas banking industry. • To increase the individual banker’s understanding and awareness of the various state and federal agencies that govern the banking industry in Kansas and how those agencies interact with the KBA. • To improve the individual banker’s leadership and communication skills through professional development and leadership training sessions and to provide a clear understanding of the individual banker’s role as a volunteer KBA leader. This year’s class will include a wide range of banking industry talent from across the state. Twenty-four Kansas bankers will participate in four BLOK training sessions that will arm them with the knowledge and information needed to be credible and effective advocates for the Kansas banking industry. The first session is scheduled for Feb. 6-8 and will center on the 2024 Harold A. Stones Government Relations Conference in Topeka. 2024 BLOK Sponsors are: • Premier: BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas; KBA Insurance Inc. • Platinum: FHLBank Topeka • Silver: INTRUST Bank, N.A. • Bronze: Bankers’ Bank of Kansas; Professional Bank Consultants LLC; Schools of Banking Introducing the 2024 BLOK Class Stephen Austin — Vice President — Commercial Lending, Bank7, Montezuma Stephen Austin manages two Southwest Kansas branches and has nine years of banking and lending experience, with the most recent four years being at Bank7 specializing in commercial and ag lending. After graduating from Sterling College in 2013, Stephen moved back to Cimarron, where he currently resides with his wife, Sarah, and two children, Kynlee and Kian. In the past, he has served on the Main Street Dodge board and, most recently, the Cimarron Golf Club board. In addition to the boards, he volunteers for multiple youth sports and activities with the Gray County Recreation Commission. In his free time, Stephen enjoys golfing and traveling with his family. Ali Aylward — VP, Real Estate Loan Officer, Bank of Commerce, Chanute Ali Aylward attended Kansas State University, where she graduated cum laude with a degree in accounting and agricultural economics. After K-State, she worked as an analyst at Koch Ag and Energy Solutions in Wichita before returning to Chanute in 2019 to pursue a career in her family’s banking organization. At Bank of Commerce (BOC), Ali is a loan officer where she primarily focuses on real estate and agricultural lending. Ali is also very involved in the general accounting and managerial reporting of the banks. She has recently completed the acquisition accounting for two bank purchases and uses her analytical skills to continue to foster improvement and changes across multiple other facets of BOC. Ali is active in the Chanute community, where she serves on the Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum Foundation Board and has also helped bring Kansas State Catbacker events back to Southeast Kansas. In her free time, Ali likes to run, attend K-State games and travel to the Florida Keys. N 18
Shannon Beal — Community Bank President, VP, Citizens Bank of Kansas, El Dorado With over 25 years in banking, Shannon Beal is an experienced lender specializing in commercial, real estate and consumer lending. Shannon graduated from Wichita State University with a B.A. in business administration. She serves on the boards for El Dorado Inc., El Dorado Chamber, El Dorado Rotary Club and the Circle Booster Club. She is a member of Women in Commercial Real Estate and is a graduate of Leadership Butler and Wichita State University Leadership Elite. Shannon and her husband, Brandon, reside in El Dorado with their three teenage children. Brian Berkley — Loan Officer, Senior Vice President, Solutions North Bank, Stockton Brian Berkley has been with the Stockton branch of Solutions North Bank (SNB) for over five years. Brian has over 15 years of lending and banking experience, having previously worked in Wichita. Brian sits on the Board of Directors at SNB and is also a member of their ALCO, Executive Loan, Compensation, IT and Compliance Committees. Brian is active in the local community, sits on the Stockton Childcare committee and is a board member for the Rooks County Public Golf Course. Brian graduated from the University of Kansas School of Business in 2007 with a degree in finance. Brian lives in Stockton with his wife, Quincy, and their 16-month-old son, Alexander. During his free time, Brian enjoys spending time on his family’s farm in Nebraska, golfing and skiing in Colorado. Michael Carlson — Vice President — Loan Officer, Denison State Bank, Holton Michael Carlson has been in banking for 27 years, all at Denison State Bank. He has served on the Senior Loan Committee for 10 years and serves on the bank’s Information Technology Committee. Michael is active in the Holton area community and was recently appointed to serve on Kanza Mental Health and Guidance Center Inc.’s Governing Board of Directors. He also has previously served as mayor and city councilman for the city of Mayetta, and treasurer and board member for the Holton/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. Michael grew up in Topeka, graduated from Washburn University and immediately went to work at Denison State Bank. Michael resides in Holton with his wife, Heather, and has three daughters. 19
Kerry Clark — Staff Attorney/ Publications Editor, Kansas Bankers Association, Topeka Kerry Clark began with the KBA as a legal intern in 2019 and joined full-time in 2021. Kerry attended Washburn University School of Law in Topeka. Before attending law school, she worked as a paralegal for several years. Originally from Virginia, Kerry currently resides in Waynesville, Missouri, with her husband, Will, as he is stationed at Fort Leonard Wood with the Army. Alison Clutter — Vice President, Lender, Bankers’ Bank of Kansas, Wichita Alison Clutter has worked within the Kansas banking system for 20 years, holding various positions along the way. It was her passion for community banking and her desire to contribute to the success of community banks that led her to Bankers’ Bank of Kansas in 2019. Alison was born and raised in rural Oklahoma and is a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma. While attending college, she accepted a position at a local community bank. After her graduation, she moved to Wichita, Kansas, where she has continued her banking career and currently resides today. Loren Erway — Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operational Officer, Farmers Bank & Trust, Atwood Loren Erway has been with Farmers Bank & Trust for three years. Prior to this, Loren worked for Almena State Bank for five years. He was a loan officer/branch manager for Almena’s Atwood branch for three years, then was the assistant cashier/BSA officer/HR administrator for two years for Almena’s Norton branch. Loren attended Tabor College on a four-year baseball scholarship and graduated with a bachelor’s in business management and accounting finance. He spends part of his summer helping coach local baseball teams. He is also a volunteer firefighter for the city of Atwood. Loren loves spending time with his wife, Chelsie, going to concerts and going hunting and fishing with his daughter, Aria, and son, Nolan. Jenny Figge — Senior Vice President, Insurance Operations, Kansas Bankers Association, Topeka Jenny Figge has been with KBA Insurance for four years in March and has over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. She currently manages the day-to-day operations of the agency and assists with the Bond/D&O renewals. She’s spent the last four years converting the agency from a paper file system to almost a completely digital system. Jenny grew up in Brookville, Kansas, and graduated from Friends University with a bachelor’s in business management. She resides near Westmoreland with her husband, Brian, two dogs, a cat and a turtle. She has two adult children: Devan, who graduated from KSU in December 2023, and Nevaeh, who is a dental assistant in Manhattan. Ryan Fleck — Vice President — Information Technology, Legacy Bank, Wichita Ryan Fleck started with Legacy Bank in 2010 and has been in his current role for 13 years. Ryan has helped develop and guide Legacy and its technology systems through a period of strong growth, with the bank more than doubling in assets, nearly doubling its locations and acquiring two banks. This growth and change have required a near-constant evolution of the bank’s processes, security and technology in which Ryan’s guidance has been instrumental. In addition to his work at the bank, he was a participant in the Young Professionals of Wichita’s Mission Wichita program, an Airforce/civilian community collaboration initiative. Ryan has attended the Graduate Schools of Banking’s Bank Technology Management school in Madison, Wisconsin, and is a graduate of Fort Hays State University. He’s a native of Valley Center, Kansas, and now resides in Wichita, Kansas, with his wife, Jessica, and two little girls, with a baby boy on the way. Mark Galloway — Vice President of Leadership and Development, The Bank of Tescott, Salina Mark Galloway is on a mission to radically and positively impact the northcentral Kansas communities in which The Bank of Tescott serves. He is committed to creating a transformational culture of excellence by elevating employee morale, purpose and empowered internal and external customer service. 20
Since joining The Bank of Tescott in September 2022, Mark has brought a wealth of diverse expertise that transcends industries as he is the founder of Blacksmith Coffee Roastery, is an advisory board member for Zing Drone Solutions, a former Lindsborg Chamber of Commerce member, contributor to various Kansas rural business initiatives and consultant to small-business start-up entrepreneurs and the powersports industry. Mark recently directed “Best Day Ever,” a banksponsored community effort to raise awareness of the Salina childcare crisis and “Blue Envelope giveaways” to show love and appreciation to community members. Mark resides in McPherson County, Kansas, with his wife, Nancy, and is father to three adult children and has two grandchildren. Kate Haverkamp — Vice President — Deposit Operations, First Heritage Bank, Centralia Kate Haverkamp oversees First Heritage Bank’s data processing operations and payment systems. She has worked for over 13 years in the banking industry and has obtained her Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) designation from NACHA. Kate uses the knowledge and experience she has gained to problem solve, develop staff education and find efficiencies in the bank’s workflow. Kate is actively involved in the Centralia community and at the local school, where she assists with the bank’s scholarship program as well as various local fundraising campaigns. Kate also volunteers at church, where she has been a teacher for the religious education program for the past six years. Kate is a graduate of Kansas State University and currently resides in Vermillion with her husband, Mark, and their five children. Jenell Hulse — Commercial Loan Officer/Construction Division Manager, Bank of the Plains, Salina Jenell Hulse grew up in Lindsborg, Kansas. She graduated from Kansas State University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration — Finance, with a minor in Leadership Studies. Shortly before graduating from K-State, Jenell started working at what is now the Bank of the Plains. Outside of the bank, Jenell is involved in the Salina community, as she recently completed 21
her term as president of the Salina Rotary Club and currently serves as a board member of the Kansas Wesleyan University Foundation and Salina Area Builders Association. She is also involved in the Lindsborg community, serving as chair of Svensk Hyllningsfest, president of the American Legion Auxiliary and a member of the City of Lindsborg Planning Commission. Outside of banking and community involvement, Jenell is an avid explorer. Her goal is to see the whole world, and is making her way there by having visited all 50 states, and this year, she has plans to visit her 30th country. Jessica Kerr — Chief Compliance and Marketing Officer, Golden Belt Bank, Hays Jessica Kerr has served in her roles at Golden Belt Bank for almost 15 years. An accidental banker — falling into the career after seeking out a part-time teller position to pay the bills during college — Jessica worked in several other positions before leaving to serve as a bank examiner for the Kansas Banking Department. She returned to Golden Belt Bank as the bank’s compliance officer, later adding marketing responsibilities to her position. Jessica received her Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager designation in 2019. Jessica is a graduate of Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. Jessica resides in Hays with her husband, Greg, and two children, Eli and Ila. Cher McLachlan — SVP and Manager, Retail Banking, First National Bank of Hutchinson, Hutchinson Cher McLachlan has been in banking for over 30 years, with the last two years with First National. She serves on the Advisory Board for Salvation Army of Reno County and is a Board member of the K-96 Corridor Development Association. Cher has also served on the United Way of Plains Grant Allocations Committee. She has completed both the School of Banking Fundamentals and Operations School. She has also completed two certificate programs for Supervision and Mini MBA through the Center for Management Development at Wichita State University. Cher resides in Wichita with her husband, Sean, and their two kids, Katie and Keegan. Taylor Sharp — SVP, Chief Financial Officer, TriCentury Bank, De Soto Taylor Sharp has been with TriCentury since 2014. He has been in banking since 2012, starting as a part-time teller while still in school at the University of Kansas. While progressing to his current role, he has held many titles and has been involved in all areas of the bank’s operations. In his current role, he oversees the finance, the Information Technology and Security programs and the operations of the bank. He currently serves on many of the committees within the bank, including the IT Committee, ALCO Committee, Audit/Compliance Committee and the Loan Committee. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas, and a native of Shawnee, Kansas. Taylor currently calls Overland Park home with his wife, Kristen, and two young boys, Lincoln and Reid. Billy Skrobacz, Jr. — Executive Vice President and Chief Retail Operations Officer, Capitol Federal Savings Bank, Topeka Billy Skrobacz, Jr. joined Capitol Federal Savings Bank as chief strategy officer in July 2021 after obtaining his MBA from The University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. Starting by amassing experience with bank customers while working throughout the bank’s branch system, he then continued moving through various departments within the organization, helping to implement efficiencies and drive growth within their commercial lending and business development efforts while also familiarizing himself with the bank’s regulatory environment. Prior to his time at the bank, Billy worked in Washington, D.C., for Nuvasive Inc. from 2013-2021 in a regional sales and operations management capacity. Billy is active in the Topeka community through participation in Capitol Federal Foundation events and serving on boards for The 20/30 Club of Topeka and Stormont Vail Health’s Foundation, respectively. Andy Stegman — Community Branch President, GNBank, N.A., Offerle Andy Stegman has been employed at GNBank for over 10 years. In addition to his duties as branch president, he is also an ag and consumer lender. Andy grew up on a farm near Offerle and continues to operate it with 22
his family, bringing a wealth of agricultural knowledge to his work. After college, he briefly worked at K-State Agricultural Research Center — Hays, helping to develop new wheat varieties before transitioning to the banking industry. Andy is an active member of the Kinsley/Offerle community and serves on the Edwards County Economic Development Board, St. Joseph Church Property Council and Knights of Columbus. He also recently completed an eight-year term on the USD 347 School board and coaches his two young boys in all their sports activities. Andy is a graduate of Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, and currently lives in Offerle with his wife, Joni. Taylor Stos — Vice President/Senior Credit Analyst, First State Bank & Trust, Tonganoxie Taylor Stos has served as the head of the commercial underwriting department for almost three years. She has over eight years of experience in community banking, including several years serving as a state bank examiner for the Office of the State Bank Commissioner. Taylor is also a member of the KBA’s Young Bank Officers of Kansas Division and recently graduated with the 2023 Class of Leadership Southern Leavenworth County. Taylor is a graduate of Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, and holds a certificate in business and commercial lending through the American Bankers Association. She resides in Topeka with her husband, their two sons and four fur babies. She is actively involved in the community through her sons’ activities, which include coaching youth basketball and assisting in activities for the local cub scout pack. Lance Tilton — Regional President, Astra Bank, Chapman Lance Tilton has over 15 years of experience in community banking and agricultural/commercial lending, with the past nine years at Astra Bank. He serves on Astra Bank’s Asset-Liability Committee, Special Assets Group, and is chair of the East Regional Loan Committee. Lance is perpetually active in his community, serving on boards of the Chapman Community Foundation, Irish Foundation for Educational Excellence, Chapman Lions Club, United Way of Geary County and Neighbor-To-Neighbor Abilene. Lance is a native of Quinter, Kansas and a 2008 graduate of Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He is also a 2021 graduate of the Graduate School of Banking (GSB) KBA 0124 An independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association One-on-one health coaches at no additional cost. Get started today: bcbsks.com/BeHealthy “If I have a question, I have that support as I'm learning how to manage my life and my health.” Selene, BCBSKS member and program participant Registered nurses provide individualized support for: Asthma | COPD | Diabetes | Heart disease High blood pressure | High cholesterol | Maternity Stess management | Tobacco cessation | Weight loss 23
at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, holds a Certificate of Executive Leadership from the University of WisconsinMadison School of Business, and is on the GSB Alumni Council. Lance loves living in Chapman, Kansas, with his wife of 12 years, Erin, and their daughter, Quinn. George von Leonrod — President & CEO, First National Bank of Dighton, Dighton George von Leonrod has been in the banking industry for over 20 years. Born and raised in western Kansas, George is a graduate of Kansas State University and the Graduate School of Banking at The University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is active in his community, serving on the City Council and Lane County Economic Development Board and volunteering on many more local and church committees. Currently, he serves as a Director of First National Bank and is a member of the School Board and the KBA State Affairs Committee. During George’s career, he has worked hard to improve the quality of services offered at his local bank, community and in the state. George currently lives in Dighton with his wife, Carrie, and their five children. Andy Watkins — Senior Commercial Relationship Manager, INTRUST Bank, N.A., Wichita Andy Watkins brings over 20 years of experience to Kansas banking. He has worked for INTRUST Bank for eight years in the commercial and industrial lending group. He earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from Kansas State University, his MBA from Pittsburg State University and is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin. Andy recently finished serving on his local school board, where he also served as president of the board. He previously served as a board member of the Risk Management Association (RMA) — Kansas Chapter, where he served as president of the chapter in 2018. He was a member of the 2015-2016 Emerging Leader class through the Wichita Business Journal. Andy and his wife, Jayme, have four children and are active members of South Rock Christian Church in Derby. Gant Welborn — VP and Director of Product Administration & Lending, FHLBank Topeka, Topeka Gant Welborn has been with FHLBank of Topeka for 19 years. FHLBank is one of 11 Federal Home Loan Banks across the country. Gant has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, having previous experience as a consumer and mortgage lending examiner for the Office of the State Bank Commissioner of Kansas before coming to FHLBank. He chaired the FHLBank system Operations Working Group for the Bank President’s Council in 2019 and 2023 and serves on many management committees within FHLBank as well as externally in the FHLBank system. He is a 2009 graduate of the Graduate School of Banking in Colorado. Gant and his wife, Michelle, attend Fellowship Bible Church and currently reside in Tecumseh. Candace Wolke — Market President/Chief Credit Officer, Vintage Bank Kansas, Conway Springs Candace Wolke has been in banking for over 20 years. She has enjoyed working in multiple positions, starting as a part-time teller while attending college. Candace has had the opportunity to lead the loan portion of four acquisitions and has opened four de novo branches for Vintage Bank Kansas. Candace is an integral part of the executive team that has grown Vintage Bank Kansas from a $40 million three-branch financial institution to a $240 million 12-branch financial institution. Candace is a graduate of Wichita State University and graduated in the top 10% of her class at the Colorado School of Banking. Candace currently resides in Conway Springs with her husband, Mike, and their three children, Jera, Micah and Caven. Candace is active in the Conway Springs community and partners closely with the local Conway Springs schools, serving as a member of multiple site councils within the district. 24
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