At this year’s annual meeting, honorees who have dedicated 50 years to the banking industry were celebrated and awarded for reaching this remarkable milestone. Those who could not attend received their awards throughout the year.
Frank Carson III, Carson Bank in Mulvane
Frank L. Carson III began his banking career in the summer of 1970 in the bookkeeping department of Mulvane State Bank. After graduating from Wichita State University, he joined his father at the bank and was promoted to President in 1990. Upon the death of Frank L. Carson Jr., he became Chairman, President and CEO. When his son, Frank L. Carson IV, was promoted to President and CEO in January 2016, Frank maintained his office as Chairman.
Frank’s civic involvement includes serving as a Director and Treasurer of the Kansas Society for Children with Challenges, Director and Treasurer of Sedgwick County Rural Water District #3, Chairman of the Mulvane Downtown Revitalization Committee, President of the Kansas All-Star Scholars Fund, Honorary Commander at McConnell Air Force Base, and past Chairman of Mulvane Education Foundation Inc.
Professionally, Frank has chaired the State and Federal Affairs Committees, as well as the Board of Directors of the Kansas Bankers Association (KBA). He is on KBA’s Board of the Kansas Bankers Education Foundation (KBEF) and the Kansas Bank Services Inc. (KBSI). He has also served on the Community Bankers Council, the Government Relations Administrative Council of the American Bankers Association (ABA), and the Board of Directors of the Office of the State Bank Commissioner.
Frank and his wife Kris, a retired English Teacher and member of the Boards of Carson Bank and Mulvane Bankshares Inc., have four married children, 13 grandchildren and their pal, Ollie.
Bill Berkley, State Bank of Downs in Downs
Congratulations to Bill Berkley on his 50 years in banking! Bill attended Downs High School in Downs, Kansas. He received his business degree and Juris Doctorate (law degree) in the 1970s from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. He has held various positions in his banking career and is a third-generation banker. He began his career at the State Bank of Downs in Downs, Kansas, in the mid-1960s as a teller during high school. After graduating from Washburn University, Bill worked with his father, Paul, and his uncle, Jerry, at the State Bank of Downs. During this time, he also joined the Berkley & Berkley law firm, where his uncle and father practiced law and operated the bank. Paul Berkley retired as President in 1995. Bill took over as President of the State Bank of Downs upon his father’s retirement. He oversaw the expansion of the Bank into Englewood, Colorado, in 2005. In 2008, Bill was sworn in as a United States Supreme Court member in Washington, D.C., with his dad and son. Today, the State Bank of Downs has two locations, one in Downs, Kansas, and the other in Englewood, Colorado, operating under the tradename Berkley Bank.
Bill is significantly involved in his hometown of Downs, Kansas. He coaches his kids and is involved in community, charitable, civic and business organizations. Bill is currently Chairman of the Board after his day-to-day retirement in 2016. He enjoys traveling with his wife, Claudia, and visiting his three children (Bradley, Cara and Brandon) and eight grandchildren.
Mark Berkley, Bank of Tescott in Tescott
Mark grew up in Tescott and had his first exposure to banking by working in high school and college summers at The Bank of Tescott and on the farm. He did help take the high school basketball team to the school’s first two and only state tournaments, winning the first in 1957 undefeated, 29-0, with his cousin Mike’s lead. They were the first undefeated men’s team to win the title in the Class BB competition, which included 249 Class BB schools. It was the first and only time he remembered the bank and town merchants closing for something other than a funeral or a flood.
He majored in accounting and finance at Kansas State University, graduated with honors and received the Haskins & Sells Award for Excellence in Accounting. He received his law degree from the University of Kansas in 1966 and passed the Bar exam following the devastating Topeka tornado. He immediately went to work for Arthur Andersen & Company, a large CPA firm in Kansas City. He passed the CPA exam while in law school, but to get his certificate, he had to work for two years in public accounting. In August 1969, his uncle, H.J. (Jack) Berkley, who had started working in The Bank of Tescott in 1924, passed away, leaving a void in the small staff in the bank. His cousin, Hal Berkley, who he worked with for more than 55 years, called and asked if he would consider coming to join the bank. He started working in The Bank of Tescott on Sept. 9, 1969, and has been on the Board of Directors since.
The bank had seven employees and $6.75 million in total assets when he joined. Today, they have approximately 60 employees and $450 million in total assets. In addition to his serving as Director for 55 years, he served as President for 23 years and Chairman for 13 years, and was an integral part of four acquisitions resulting in offices in Lincoln counties: Lincoln, Ottawa, Saline and McPherson. He also served on the boards of two other banks. He served on three KBA committees: Bank Management, Federal Affairs and a special committee appointed to study, critique and make recommendations regarding the new Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). Mark was active in Tescott organizations and served in Salina as Chairman of Finance for the Greater Salina Community Foundation and Salina Regional Health Foundation. He has enjoyed following his three children and six grandchildren in collegiate sports, playing in other activities and traveling with his wife, Jane, of 58 years. Serving customers and the community and training employees for both have been his primary goals throughout his career. The Bank of Tescott is one of four Berkley-family banks with 250 employees and assets totaling over $2 billion.
Debbe Buseman
Congratulations to Debbe Buseman, Cashier and Vice President at The Riley State Bank of Riley in Riley, Kansas, on her 50 years in banking! Debbe started her banking career on Aug. 6, 1973, after being approached by Harold Holmes, President at the time, to see if she would be interested in working at the bank when she was only a senior in high school. When Debbe started, the bank had 10 key-adding machines, electric typewriters and accounts identified by names, not account numbers. She had been accustomed to counting money from her grocery store days and most of the customers she’d known all her life. She remembered when the bank talked about electronic banking — Social Security checks — at a conference and said everything would be automatic by 2000. Riley State Bank got its first in-house computer in 1982. When Shirley Duensing retired in 1986, Jeff Holmes appointed Debbe as a bank cashier. Since then, she has added Vice President to her title and headed the bank’s Human Resources department. Even though learning to work with computers and keeping up with compliance and changing regulations in the banking industry was always a challenge, Debbe said the hardest thing to adjust to with all the new technology was the lack of actual contact with customers. Looking ahead, Debbe said she has no immediate plans to retire. Congrats, Debbe!
James Hefley, Marion National Bank in Marion
Congratulations to James R. Hefley on his 50th year in banking! James started his banking career as a management trainee on Jan. 21, 1974, at Commercial National Bank in Kansas City. After completing the training program, he joined the Correspondent Department as a Correspondent Bank Officer. He was eventually promoted to Vice President and left the bank in March 1980.
James then joined the First National Bank (now Emprise Bank) in his hometown of Hillsboro, Kansas, in 1980, serving as a Vice President and on the Board of Directors. In April 1998, the bank’s ownership offered him the position of President of the Potwin State Bank (now Emprise Bank) in Potwin, Kansas. He served as President, CEO and Bank Director of Potwin State Bank until he left in 2003.
In 2003, James assumed the role of President, CEO and Bank Director of Marion National Bank in Marion, Kansas. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2016. After that date, he remained active in the bank, serving on the Board of Directors and as a lending and marketing resource.
James continues to enjoy his role as a Kansas banker and serve the financial needs of his community.
Doug Johnson, Guaranty State Bank & Trust Co. in Beloit
Congratulations to Doug Johnson on his 50th year in the banking industry! Before starting his banking career, Doug graduated from Miles High School in 1970 in Iowa. He then graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences and Industries in May 1974. Doug was hired as the Farm Service Director at the Guaranty State Bank & Trust Co. on June 3, 1974, in Beloit, Kansas, which began his journey in banking. He was elected to become a member of the Board of Directors in 1976 and later became CEO in April 1987. In March 1977, he met his wife, Janet Rewerts, from Stafford, Kansas. They have three daughters: Melissa (Dave Warders), who lives in Wichita, Kansas, with their children Rachel, Ben and Joe; Angie (Travis Chaney), who lives in Siloam Springs, Arizona, with their children Will, Maybelle and Rosemary; and Allison (Tyler Carroll) who lives in Siloam Springs, Arizona, with their children Olive and Denver. Doug’s favorite hobbies are spending time with his grandchildren, biking and traveling.
Galen “Digger” Liggett, Citizens State Bank in Lincoln
Congratulations 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 then 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 several boards, such as 40 years as Treasurer for the City of Lincoln, 25 years as an EMR for Lincoln County EMS, 37 years as a member of the Lincoln Lions Club, 14 years as a board member of the Lincoln County Hospital Board, 15 years as a volunteer for the Lincoln County Rescue Squad. He also served time on the Chamber of Commerce board and 2016 Chamber of Commerce Member of the Year.
The notable highlight of his banking career is spending all 50 years at the same location in Lincoln. He leaves no regrets and has a heart full of love and gratitude for those he touched along the way. He is proud to go to the bank with the team there.
When he isn’t at the bank, Digger enjoys being with family and friends, camping and boating. He and his wife have five grandkids who consume their time with various activities. Congratulations, Digger, and happy retirement!
Janet Tucker, Community National Bank & Trust, Independence
Congratulations to Janet K. Tucker, Vice President & Trust Officer from Community National Bank & Trust in Independence, on her 50 years in banking! Janet began her banking career on Feb. 25, 1974, doing rounds, working as a proof operator and in the trust department, accounting and wire service. From February 1976 to August 1977, she married and moved to Germany for 18 months, where she worked at an Exchange Post, which was part of American Express. From September 1977 to March 1980, Janet worked at First National Bank in Manhattan, Kansas, in the proof and data center. After working at Citizens National Bank in Independence from 1980 to 1999, Commerce Bank purchased her bank in April 1980, where she did proof, accounting, trust and wire services. From 1999 to 2008, her roles changes, and she worked in the loans and wire services. In May of 2008, Janet moved to Community National Bank & Trust as the Assistant Trust Officer, where she worked in the trust services, loans and wire services. Her title is now Vice President & Trust Officer. Janet has two daughters and four grandsons, whom she loves spending time with as a family. Her hobbies are tending to her flowers, cross stitching and baking.
Left to right: Derek Wohlgemuth, John Robinson, Douglass Adair, Chuck Swinford, Rob Drury, Richard Dickason, Lora Weishaar, Kaylene Rindom, Rick Schneider, Dan Runde and Doug Wareham
Robert D. Drury, Exchange Bank & Trust in Leavenworth
For over 50 years, Rob Drury has gained extensive experience in nearly every aspect of banking. His career began in August 1974 at the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Cawker City, Kansas, where he started as a teller, loan officer and specialist in insurance and tax matters. About a decade later, Rob joined the Farmers State Bank in Corning, Kansas, followed by two years at the Farmers National Bank in Osborne, Kansas.
In 1987, Rob brought his expertise to the former Fort National Bank in Easton, Kansas, which was then affiliated with the First National Bank of Leavenworth, now the central Exchange Bank & Trust branch. By 1992, he had become President of the Exchange Bank’s Leavenworth branch, a role he held for 23 years.
Rob’s distinguished reputation as a reliable, compassionate and knowledgeable leader is rooted in his diverse and seasoned background. He is always focused on understanding and serving his customers’ needs.
Congratulations to Rob Drury on 50 dedicated years to the Kansas banking industry!
