Hillsboro in 2018 and opened our newest branch in Sunset Hills in 2021, pushing our new organization over $180MM. Joe and his wife have numerous charities that are close to their heart. Their primary focus is to support organizations that benefit children, including the Foundation for Children with Cancer, Make a Wish andThe Ronald McDonald House. When asked about the challenges facing the banking industry, he stated that “Growth is always a challenge. Getting to critical mass to achieve economies of scale is necessary for all banks.” He went on to say, “Loan and customer acquisition will be the way that all banks will compete. This will require not only a strong credit culture in the current economic environment but will require finding ways to produce this business more efficiently or profitably through streamlined processes and the use of technology.” As a MIBA board member, Joe talked about the benefits that come with membership, and he said that “First and foremost the advocacy and lobbying efforts of the MIBA to protect and benefit our industry, followed by educational opportunities and of course networking with fellow bankers.” One of the greatest joys of his career was being elected by his fellow bankers in Missouri to represent them on the Board of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines. Joe was elected three times and had the privilege of serving on the FHLB board for 10 years, serving as Vice-Chair of the Risk Committee, and was involved in the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle’s merger into the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines. Joe passed on three pieces of advice to those coming up in the industry: 1. You can’t learn the tricks of the trade until you first learn the trade. 2. Get involved in your community. Network, Network, Network. 3. Do your current assigned duty and responsibility well, and you will be given greater duties and responsibilities. In conclusion, he said, “I have had an amazing career in an industry that I love. Any success that I have achieved could not have happened without the support of my wife, my family and of course the talented team at Bank Star that I have the great pleasure of working with on a daily basis.” ■ October 2022 | 21
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