CSB&T In Ellsworth Announces Promotions of Muchow and Frazier
Megan Muchow, who joined Citizens State Bank and Trust Co. in 2007, has been promoted to vice president/cashier. The advancement follows the recent retirement of long- time cashier and vice president, Diane Buchholz. The Board of Directors of CSB&T approved Muchow’s promotion at its March meeting. Muchow is originally from Ellsworth and graduated from Kansas State University in 2003. Since her time at CSB&T, she has also completed the Schools of Banking Fundamentals and is now attending the Graduate School of Banking in Colorado, where she is expected to graduate in July. As cashier, Muchow is responsible for managing operational activities, overseeing customer relationships and implementing annual goals and objectives.
“We are honored to have Megan on staff at CSB&T, and her collaboration at the executive level now will be a great benefit to the bank,” said David Brownback, president and chief executive officer.
The Board of Directors of Citizens State Bank
& Trust Co. recently promoted Payton Frazier to operations officer.
“We are thrilled to promote Payton from within our bank,” said David Brownback. “She is a valuable employee and will excel in her leadership role. We are proud of her involvement in our community as well.”
Frazier started working for CSB&T in Ellsworth in May 2021. In her short time with the bank, she has been in the role of Teller/Customer Service Representative as well as Operations Assistant. In her new position of Operations Officer, Frazier will continue to be able to serve customers, as well as assist with operational/ deposit functions of the bank. She will be attending the School of Banking Fundamentals this year, and is a 2018 graduate of Fort Hays State University. Frazier is involved in the community by coaching girls’ softball and youth girls’ basketball. In her free time, she and her husband enjoy going on adventures in their side-by-side and attending concerts.
Brownback concluded by saying, “Payton is committed to serving our customers and we greatly appreciate her contributions to CSB&T.
McDowell Earns CTFA Designation
Shannon McDowell, JD, CTFA, Vice President and Trust Officer, Trust Department of Guaranty State Bank & Trust Company in Beloit was recently awarded the Certified Trust & Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA)* designation from the American Bankers Association in Washington, D.C. In order to be certified, McDowell completed Wealth & Trust Schools
Level 1 & 2 and the Advanced Wealth & Trust Schools curriculum of the American Bankers Association, then passed the CTFA certified test.
McDowell graduated summa cum laude from Fort Hays State University in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in Pre-Law and Political Science. He then graduated with his Juris Doctor degree from Washburn University School of Law in 1993. He has practiced law for 28 years in the areas of estate and real estate law in north-central Kansas.
McDowell joined Guaranty in 2020.
*The CTFA designation is a distinguished professional credential offered by the American Bankers Association. It is awarded to individuals possessing certain levels of experience and education in the trust profession; they must pass a rigorous exam, maintain continuing education and agree to abide by a code of ethics. The CTFA exam covers many areas including fiduciary planning, tax law and planning, investment management and ethics.
Farmers Bank and Trust Announces New Senior VP, COO
Bobbi LaViolette has recently been promoted to Senior Vice President & Chief Operations Officer at Farmers Bank and Trust. LaViolette began her career with Farmers Bank and Trust in Great Bend as a teller in 2007 after receiving a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Fort Hays State University in 2006. Prior to her promotion, she has held a variety of positions with the bank, including New Accounts, Operations Supervisor, Assistant Cashier, Head Cashier, Director of Operations & BSA Officer.
According to Robert Rugan, Western Market President for Farmers Bank and Trust, “Bobbi has been instrumental in the overall growth of our deposit operations division for the bank. We have relied on her leadership in enhancing our digital presence in the marketplace, including online banking, mobile banking, same day ACH, and many other products over the past several years.”
LaViolette is in her third year of the Graduate School of Banking in Colorado and expected to graduate in July. She will continue to maintain oversight of the bank’s deposit operations in its branches located in Great Bend, Albert, LaCrosse, Bazine, Kinsley, Overland Park, Larned and Olathe.
Fostering Growth At The Trust Company Of Kansas
The Trust Company of Kansas (TCK) is pleased to announce the addition of two individuals to its team:
Luke Larson — Trust Administrator
Luke Larson joined The Trust Company of Kansas on
March 21, 2022, as a Trust Administrator, after retiring from a career with the Arkansas City Police Department. He will work closely with Vice President & Trust Officer, Tasha Bucher, on the day-to-day administration of client relationships. Larson has embraced his new role with professionalism and enthusiasm to serve TCK clients in the Arkansas City community in a different capacity.
Chad L. Gilbert — Vice President & Trust Officer
Chad L. Gilbert has been named Vice President & Trust Officer and joined The Trust Company of Kansas Hutchinson office on March 28, 2022. Gilbert will maintain an active role in the administration of client relationships. He comes to us with over 20 years of banking experience in the Hutchinson market, and a willingness to expand his knowledge and expertise in the areas of financial planning, estate planning, taxes, and fiduciary investment management to serve TCK’s valued clients.
KBA’s Koren Kabriel Retires
In 1986, Koren started working as a receptionist for a Topeka bank. When she was not answering phone calls, she typed legal documents for the in-house legal counsel and loan documents for the commercial loan department. This was the beginning of her 36 years working in and with Kansas banks. During her tenure in the industry, she worked in several areas of banking, including Commercial Lending, Retail Operations and Trust. In 2013, she came to the KBA as a Legal Assistant for the Legal Department, when there were just four attorneys and a paralegal. Over her close to 10 years with the KBA, she was an integral member of the legal and compliance team, helping it grow to a staff of 18. In the last two years of her KBA career, she focused on preparing the department’s publications.
Terri Thomas, EVP & COO and Director of Legal Services at the KBA, stated, “Koren has always had a special place in my heart. She came to work with me in the Legal Department of BANK IV back in the early 1990s, where she immediately became a co-worker I knew I could depend on to make the right decisions. Over the years, she also became a trusted adviser and close friend. She deserves the best, and I hope she enjoys this next phase of her life.”
